Mathews was born in
Kidderminster, the third of six sons of Jeremiah Mathews, a Worcestershire land agent, and his wife Mary Guest. Of his five brothers, the eldest,
William Mathews (1828–1901) was one of the leading pioneers of Alpine exploration and was president of the
Alpine Club from 1869 to 1871. The fourth brother, George Spencer Mathews (1836–1904), was also a noted mountaineer. Both brothers were prominent figures in municipal and social life in
Birmingham.
Professional career Mathews was educated at
King Charles I School, Kidderminster, served his articles in Birmingham and London from 1851, and was admitted solicitor in 1856. He practised in Birmingham, acted as solicitor to the
Birmingham School Board throughout its existence, and as
Clerk of the Peace from 1891 till his death. He was a member of the town council from 1875 to 1881 and for nearly fifty years exerted much influence on the public and social affairs of Birmingham. One of the founders and subsequently chairman of the parliamentary committee of the
National Education League, he founded in 1864 the
Birmingham Children's Hospital, in conjunction with
Thomas Pretious Heslop, and took part for many years in its management; he set on foot the agitation which led to the reorganisation of
King Edward's School, and served as a governor of the school from its reconstitution in 1878 till his death; a lifelong friend of
Joseph Chamberlain, he was from 1886 one of the local leaders of the
Liberal Unionist Party.
Mountaineering He was introduced to
the Alps in 1856 by his brother William, with whom the idea of forming the
Alpine Club originated; and the foundation of the club was definitely decided upon in November 1857 by the two brothers, a cousin, Benjamin Attwood Mathews, and
Edward Shirley Kennedy; the last, aided by
Thomas Woodbine Hinchliff, taking the leading share in its actual formation (December 1857 to January 1858). He was president of the club from 1878 to 1880, and took a prominent part in its affairs until the last year of his life. He was also one of the founders (1898) and the first president of the
Climbers' Club, an association formed with the object of encouraging mountaineering in England and Ireland. He died in
Edgbaston on 20 October 1905, and was buried at
Sutton Coldfield. Mathews married in 1860 Elizabeth Agnes Blyth, and had two sons and two daughters. ==Writings==