Lord Ronald Gower

Passions

Vocation

Family

Scottish Liberal politician, sculptor and writer, well known in the homosexual community of the time. Oscar Wilde's story The Portrait of Mr. W. H. has been interpreted as a comment on Gower's social circle, and Gower is generally identified as the model for Lord Henry Wotton in Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. From 1867–1874, he was a Liberal Member of Parliament for Sutherland. He made only one speech in the House, even though he held the seat for many years. His most important sculpture was the statue of Shakespeare and four of his principal characters, erected in Stratford-upon-Avon. He also created a sculpture depicting Marie Antoinette on her way to the scaffold and another of a member of the Old Guard at Waterloo. He also wrote biographies of Marie Antoinette and Joan of Arc and a history of the Tower of London. He furthermore published Reminiscences which was a memoir of his upbringing and life. His most notable relationship was with the journalist Frank Hird (1873–1937), which lasted to the end of Gower's life. Gower later adopted Hird as his son, leading Wilde to remark on one occasion: "Frank may be seen, but not Hird." Lord Ronald Gower died on 9 March 1916 at his home in Tunbridge Wells, a town in western Kent, England. Gower and Hird are buried together at St Paul's Parish Church, Rusthall, Kent. Link to Wikipedia biography