Henry Overton Wills III

Henry Overton Wills III ( born December 22, 1828 † September 4, 1911 ) was the first Chancellor of the University of Bristol.

Life

Wills worked W. D. at the company of family & H.O. Wills in Bristol since 1846, but retired from active business for health reasons in 1880. The company worked in the tobacco trade and in the manufacture of tobacco products.

After the formation of the grouping of companies under the name Imperial Tobacco 's assets increased the Wells family, and so she was able to make significant contributions to local foundations. The most significant contribution was when his son George Alfred Wills was able to proclaim in 1908 that his father ( in 2011 would be the approximately € 8 million ) the amount of £ 100,000 pledged, if within two years of a charter for the University of Bristol should be performed. This document and other donations, the university was founded in 1909. Wills was the first Chancellor of the University. At his death the value of his estate amounted to £ 5,214,821.

Henry Overton Wills III was the cousin of the first chairman of Imperial Tobacco, William Henry Wills.

Building of the University

The Wills Memorial Building, which was built in the years 1915 to 1928 in late Gothic style, is the tallest building in the University of Bristol. It was given this name by his sons Geaorge and Harry Wills in his memory.

One of the houses of the family in Bristol, the Downside House, is now a dormitory named Wills Hall.