British Uruguayans

British Uruguayan is a Uruguayan citizen of British descent or a British-born person residing in Uruguay. The British community in Uruguay is small but historically significant; it numbers ca. 690 British expatriates and thousands of people of British descent.

History

There has been presence of British nationals in the eastern shores of the Río de la Plata since colonial times. England exerted a notable influence in the region, including two invasions in the early 19th century; from that time dates the establishment of the first newspaper in Montevideo, The Southern Star. British settlers helped establish Conchillas and Barker at Colonia Department in the late 19th century. There were important British businesspeople in several activities, as well as politicians and professionals. Britons were also fundamental in the establishment of association football as a mainstream sport, with the Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club (established 1891) and other institutions.

Notable people

past

• Samuel Fisher Lafone (1805–1871), businessman
• Juan D. Jackson (1833–1892), businessman
• Duncan Stewart (1833–1923), politician, interim President of the Republic
• his niece Matilde Pacheco Stewart (1854–1926) married President José Batlle y Ordóñez and gave birth to:
  • César Batlle Pacheco (1885–1966), politician and journalist, member of the National Council of Government 1959-1963
  • Rafael Batlle Pacheco (1888–1960), journalist
  • Lorenzo Batlle Pacheco (1897–1954), politician and journalist
• William Huskinson Denstone (1867–1925), owner and editor of The Montevideo Times
• Edward Johnston, CBE (1872–1944), designer of the sans-serif Johnston typeface used in the London Underground
• Alfredo Jones Brown (1876–1950), architect
• William Leslie Poole (1866–1931), football enthusiast
• Henry Stanley Bowles (1871–1899), footballer
• Leonard Crossley (1883–1958), footballer
• John Harley (1886–1960), footballer
• Randolph Galloway (1896–1964), football manager
• Faustino Harrison (1900–1963), politician, President of the National Council of Government in 1962
• George Foladori, aka Fola (1908-1997), cartoonist
• Guillermo Douglas (1909–1967), rower
• Alberto Heber Usher (1918–1981), politician, President of the National Council of Government in 1966
• his brother Mario Heber Usher (1921–1980), politician, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Uruguay in 1966
• Nina Miranda (née Nelly María Hunter, 1925-2012), tango singer

present

• Guillermo Stirling, notary public and politician
• Emilio MacEachen, footballer
• Sebastián Coates, footballer
• Milton Wynants, cyclist, Olympic silver medalist
• William Jones, rower
• Roberto Jones, actor
• Matías Jones, footballer

Institutions

British immigrants established several institutions of their own, among others:

• The British Cemetery Montevideo (since 1828, present location since 1885)
• Holy Trinity Church (Anglican; established 1843, rebuilt on its present location in 1915)
• The British Hospital (established 1857, new building 1913)
• Montevideo Cricket Club (established 1861)
• The British Schools of Montevideo (established 1908)

See also

• British people
• British diaspora
• Uruguayans in the United Kingdom
• United Kingdom-Uruguay relations