Robert Thomas Flower was born on 1 April 1836 at Castle Durrow, Durrow, County Laois, Ireland.[1][2][3] His father was Henry Jeffrey Flower, 5th Viscount Ashbrook (1806–1871) and his mother was Frances (1803-1886), daughter of Sir John Robinson, Baronet.[2] He had three sisters and two brothers, Henry Jeffrey Flower, 6th Viscount Ashbrook (1829–1882) and William Spencer Flower, 7th Viscount Ashbrook (1830–1906).[1][2][4]
He was commissioned into the part-time Royal Queen's County Rifle Militia (later 4th Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)) as a Lieutenant on 6 June 1859 and resigned on 15 December 1888 as a Major with the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.[1][2][5]
He invented an easy-to-use handloom for the unskilled and disabled, and a latch-hook needle that speeds up the weaving process.[3] The techniques were used by Yvo Richard Vesey, 5th Viscount de Vesci (1881–1958), who opened a carpet factory and hired women to do the weaving.[3] The carpets were sold at Harrods in London and at Marshall Field's in Chicago.[3] They furnished the Mansion House, Dublin, the grandstand at Ascot and RMS Titanic.[3]
He became the 8th Viscount Ashbrook and the 9th Baron Castle-Durrow on the death of his brother on 26 November 1906.[1][2]
He married Gertrude Sophia Hamilton, daughter of Reverend Sewell Hamilton, on 18 July 1866. They had five children:[1][2]
- Hon. Frances Mary Flower (married Henry Ernest White).[4]
- Hon. Eva Constance Gertrude Flower (unknown-1928).
- Hon. Gertrude Flower (unknown-1956).
- Llowarch Robert Flower, 9th Viscount Ashbrook (1870-1936).
- Hon. Reginald Henry Flower (1871-1938).
He resided at 22 Adelaide Crescent in Hove, East Sussex in the 1860s.[6] From 1869 onwards, he resided at Knocknatrina House in County Laois, Ireland.[4]
He died on 9 March 1919,[1][2] his wife having predeceased him on 8 November 1911.[1]
