Hall , Benjamin , 1802-1867 , 1st Baron Llanover , politician

Benjamin Hall was born in London in 1802 of Welsh parents and educated at Westminster School and at Christ Church, Oxford. He served as Whig MP for Monmouth for several years in the 1830s before being elected Liberal MP for Marylebone in 1837. He became a baronet in 1838 and entered the House of Lords as Baron Llanover in 1859. He also spent periods serving as as president of the General Board of Health, as Chief Commissioner of works, and as Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire. Hall's wife Augusta (née Waddington) was a leading figure in the movement to revive the Welsh language, literature and culture. The Great Bell of Westminster is believed to have been given its nickname 'Big Ben' in his honour. Hall died in 1867.