Early Life

Henry Bourchier  Osborne Savile was born in Exeter, Devon and  was the third son of Albany Saville (MP for Okehampton) and his wife, Eleanor. 

Henry was destined for a military career and was educated at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and began on a busy military career. 

Family

Henry was married 3 times and had a total of 23 children:

• Marriage 1: 1841 – 1846 (her death): Catherine Law. 3 children (2 daughters – who died in childhood - and a son).
• Marriage 2: 1848 – 1870 (her death): Mary O’Callaghan (Irish). 8 children (3 sons and 5 daughters – 1 daughter died).
• Marriage 3: 1872 – 1917 (his death): Ellen Lucy Darling. (He was 53. She was 26.) 12 children. (9 sons and 3 daughters. 1 son died in childhood)

Probably due to his military career, Henry and family moved around and the location of the births of his children, range from Carlisle to Newton Abbott.

From 1859 the family lived in Bristol with various census showing the family living in various houses in Clifton.

Two of his sons predeceased him as they were both killed in WW1 and are remembered on the family grave.

Career

In December 1837 Henry becomes a Second Lieutenant of the Royal Artillery where he spends 15 years. In 1854 he was appointed Major of the Royal North Gloucester Militia.

In 1859, upon a threatened invasion from France, the British Government decided that the regular army was too small to defend the Empire and set up a Volunteer Corps. Henry became the Honorary Colonel of the 1^st Gloucestershire (Bristol Rifle Volunteers).

The Volunteer Artillery Corps, which was nicknamed The Gunners, based at the Artillery Grounds on Whiteladies Road, Clifton) was formed shortly afterwards, and Henry became commander.

He resigned in 1873 and given the honorary title Colonel.

At the coronation of King Edward VII he received the honour of CB (Companion of the Order of the Bath . This title is second only to a knighthood.

In 1903 a third volunteer corps was created – the Engineer Corps – which Henry again commanded.

In 1909 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the Wessex Divisional Engineers. With 70 years of military service, he was considered to be the oldest Volunteer Officer in England, and was presented to the King in 1911, aged 92.

Faith and Philanthropy 

Henry was a proud Protestant. He was president of the Bristol Protestant League, chairman of the Church Missionary Society’s local branch and secretary of the Society for Promoting Scriptural Education in Board Schools. He was a member of the Clifton Parish Church, a member of the Church Extension Commission, and a diocesan representative in the House of Layman.

Henry was also heavily involved in the Bristol community in various ways.

• Served 6 years on the Bristol School Board. 
• Assisted in the management of the Blind Asylum for 28 years .
• Member of the Bristol Royal Infirmary Committee,
• Member of the Clifton College council.
• He also acted as president of the Society of Devonians in Bristol, president of the Gloucestershire Society, and president of the Royal West of England Academy from 1885.

In 1887 he was made a justice of the peace and in 1883 he became High Sheriff of Bristol. As High Sheriff, Henry engaged with many community groups from the Stoke Bishop and Sneyd Park Rose and Fruit Show Society to the Monday Popular Concerts Society.

When the Clifton Suspension Bridge opened on 8^th Dec 1864, the following day Cock Robin (the pseudonym of an anonymous observer), published a poem in the Bristol Daily Post entitled ‘Who Opened the Bridge’. A few lines read:

‘I, said brave Captain Havilland, I and Colonel Savile, and We open’d the Bridge’.

Business interests

Chairman of the Royal Insurance Company, chairman of the directors of the Bristol and South Wales Railway Wagon Company, and director of the Main Colliery Company.

Death

Henry died at the grand old age of 98.  He is buried in a fine grave with two of his wives, daughters Edith Blanche and Florence Nora, and son Henry Throne Somerset and Walter Clare and there is reference to the memory of other children who are buried elsewhere.