Julian Hodge
Encyclopedia
Sir Julian Hodge was a London
-born entrepreneur
and bank
er who lived in Wales
for most of his life, from the age of five. He formed the Bank of Wales
(originally known as the Commercial Bank of Wales), and later the Julian Hodge Bank
in Cardiff
.
, he came from humble beginnings. At the age of five he moved with his family to Pontllanfraith
, in the South Wales Valleys
and within the South Wales coalfield
. He left school from the Lewis School Pengam at age 13 but his mother encouraged him to read classic novels and recite poetry to further his education. His first job was as an assistant in a chemist
's shop. He joined the Great Western Railway
as a junior clerk in 1920 and studied accountancy
in his spare time, qualifying as a corporate accountant
in 1930. He went into business for himself as an account in 1934. Married to Moira Thomas in 1951, he had 3 children; Jane, Robert and Jonathan Hodge.
He was well known as a philanthropist
, using much of his fortune for charity work including setting up the Jane Hodge Foundation in memory of his mother and as a benefactor for Cardiff University
from 1970 onwards (one of the halls of residence now bears his name - Hodge Hall). In the late 1990s he did not, contrary to popular belief, fund the "Just Say No" campaign against devolution ahead of a referendum for the Welsh Assembly, which was chaired by his son Robert, however he did support their cause, as did the late George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy
. Later he was involved with the Euro-Know campaign opposed to the introduction of the euro
in the UK
.
In the 2004 Sunday Times
rich list his fortune was estimated at £48 Million, making him the 18th richest person in Wales, and the oldest of Britain's
1,000 richest people.
He died peacefully at his home on Jersey
, 3 months short of his 100th birthday.
Cardiff Business School (Cardiff University) also has a building named 'Julian Hodge' in Colum Drive, Cardiff. The site comprises one 400 seat lecture theatre, several meeting rooms, a canteen and a large computer suite hosting 205 workstations. Adajecent to the site is the Aberconway building, the associated Business and Economics School. There are also numerous professorships bearing his name, for example the Sir Julian Hodge Professor of Banking and Finance, the Sir Julian Hodge Professor in Marketing and Strategy (both at Cardiff Business School), the Sir Julian Hodge Professor of Accounting (School of Management and Business, Aberystwyth) and the Sir Julian Hodge Chair in Asset Finance Law (Swansea).
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-born entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
er who lived in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
for most of his life, from the age of five. He formed the Bank of Wales
Bank of Wales
The Bank of Wales was a bank based in Cardiff, Wales, founded by Sir Julian Hodge in 1971. The company provided commercial banking services to small and medium-sized businesses in Wales....
(originally known as the Commercial Bank of Wales), and later the Julian Hodge Bank
Julian Hodge Bank
Julian Hodge Bank is a small commercial bank in the United Kingdom. It is named after Sir Julian Hodge. The bank was formed in 1987, and is headquartered in Cardiff, Wales, the only independent bank headquartered in Wales...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
Background and beginnings
As the son of a plumberPlumber
A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
, he came from humble beginnings. At the age of five he moved with his family to Pontllanfraith
Pontllanfraith
Pontllanfraith is a large village located in the Sirhowy Valley in Caerphilly county borough, south Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is situated adjacent to the town of Blackwood, with the Sirhowy River passing through both locations...
, in the South Wales Valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...
and within the South Wales coalfield
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
. He left school from the Lewis School Pengam at age 13 but his mother encouraged him to read classic novels and recite poetry to further his education. His first job was as an assistant in a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
's shop. He joined the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
as a junior clerk in 1920 and studied accountancy
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
in his spare time, qualifying as a corporate accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
in 1930. He went into business for himself as an account in 1934. Married to Moira Thomas in 1951, he had 3 children; Jane, Robert and Jonathan Hodge.
He was well known as a philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, using much of his fortune for charity work including setting up the Jane Hodge Foundation in memory of his mother and as a benefactor for Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
from 1970 onwards (one of the halls of residence now bears his name - Hodge Hall). In the late 1990s he did not, contrary to popular belief, fund the "Just Say No" campaign against devolution ahead of a referendum for the Welsh Assembly, which was chaired by his son Robert, however he did support their cause, as did the late George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy
George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy
Thomas George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy PC was a British Labour Party politician and Speaker of the House of Commons. Born in Port Talbot, Wales, he initially worked as a teacher in both London and Cardiff...
. Later he was involved with the Euro-Know campaign opposed to the introduction of the euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
In the 2004 Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
rich list his fortune was estimated at £48 Million, making him the 18th richest person in Wales, and the oldest of Britain's
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
1,000 richest people.
He died peacefully at his home on Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, 3 months short of his 100th birthday.
Cardiff Business School (Cardiff University) also has a building named 'Julian Hodge' in Colum Drive, Cardiff. The site comprises one 400 seat lecture theatre, several meeting rooms, a canteen and a large computer suite hosting 205 workstations. Adajecent to the site is the Aberconway building, the associated Business and Economics School. There are also numerous professorships bearing his name, for example the Sir Julian Hodge Professor of Banking and Finance, the Sir Julian Hodge Professor in Marketing and Strategy (both at Cardiff Business School), the Sir Julian Hodge Professor of Accounting (School of Management and Business, Aberystwyth) and the Sir Julian Hodge Chair in Asset Finance Law (Swansea).