Robert Kindersley, 1st Baron Kindersley
Encyclopedia
Robert Molesworth Kindersley, 1st Baron Kindersley GBE
(21 November 1871 – 20 July 1954) was an English
businessman, stockbroker, merchant bank
er, and public servant who organised the National Savings
movement.
Kindersley was born in Wanstead
, Essex
. His father was an Old Etonian from a wealthy family who had been a Captain
in the Indian Army
, but had fallen on hard times since resigning his commission and becoming a chemist
. Kindersley was educated at Repton School
, but was forced to leave in 1887 when his father could no longer afford the fees. He then became a clerk in several London
firms before joining the London Stock Exchange
in 1901, becoming a partner in David A. Bevan & Co in 1902 and the merchant bank Lazard Brothers & Co
in 1905, a firm with which he was connected for the rest of his life and of which he became chairman in 1919. He was Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company
from 1915 to 1925 and a director of the Bank of England
from 1914 to 1946. In 1924 he was the senior British representative on the Dawes Committee
.
Kindersley is chiefly recognised for his work as chairman of the National Savings Committee from 1916 to 1920; he was then its president until 1946. He was also a major shareholder in the Canadian Northern Railway
(later amalgamated into Canadian National Railways), and the town of Kindersley, Saskatchewan
, was named after him.
Kindersley was knighted as Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(KBE) in 1917 and raised to Knight Grand Cross (GBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours for his chairmanship of the National Savings Committee. He served as High Sheriff of Sussex
for 1928 and in 1941 was raised to the peerage as Baron Kindersley, of West Hoathly
in the County of West Sussex
.
Lord Kindersley was succeeded in the Barony by his second son Hugh, his eldest son Lionel having been killed in action in the First World War.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(21 November 1871 – 20 July 1954) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
businessman, stockbroker, merchant bank
Merchant bank
A merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
er, and public servant who organised the National Savings
National savings
In economics, a country's national savings is the sum of private and public savings. It is generally equal to a nation's income minus consumption and government purchases.- Economic model of national savings :...
movement.
Kindersley was born in Wanstead
Wanstead
Wanstead is a suburban area in the London Borough of Redbridge, North-East London. The main road going through Wanstead is the A12. The name is from the Anglo-Saxon words wænn and stede, meaning "settlement on a small hill"....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. His father was an Old Etonian from a wealthy family who had been a Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in the Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
, but had fallen on hard times since resigning his commission and becoming a chemist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
. Kindersley was educated at Repton School
Repton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
, but was forced to leave in 1887 when his father could no longer afford the fees. He then became a clerk in several London
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...
firms before joining the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
in 1901, becoming a partner in David A. Bevan & Co in 1902 and the merchant bank Lazard Brothers & Co
Lazard
Lazard Ltd is the parent company of Lazard Group LLC, a global, independent investment bank with approximately 2,300 employees in 42 cities across 27 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, Central and South America...
in 1905, a firm with which he was connected for the rest of his life and of which he became chairman in 1919. He was Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
from 1915 to 1925 and a director of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
from 1914 to 1946. In 1924 he was the senior British representative on the Dawes Committee
Dawes Plan
The Dawes Plan was an attempt in 1924, following World War I for the Triple Entente to collect war reparations debt from Germany...
.
Kindersley is chiefly recognised for his work as chairman of the National Savings Committee from 1916 to 1920; he was then its president until 1946. He was also a major shareholder in the Canadian Northern Railway
Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...
(later amalgamated into Canadian National Railways), and the town of Kindersley, Saskatchewan
Kindersley, Saskatchewan
Kindersley is a town in west central Saskatchewan, Canada, located at Section 10, Township 29, Range 23, West of the 3rd Meridian, along highway 7, a primary highway linking Calgary, Alberta and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan...
, was named after him.
Kindersley was knighted as Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(KBE) in 1917 and raised to Knight Grand Cross (GBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours for his chairmanship of the National Savings Committee. He served as High Sheriff of Sussex
High Sheriff of Sussex
-History:The office of High Sheriff is over 1000 years old, with its establishment before the Norman Conquest. The Office of High Sheriff remained first in precedence in the counties until the reign of Edward VII when an Order in Council in 1908 gave the Lord-Lieutenant the prime office under the...
for 1928 and in 1941 was raised to the peerage as Baron Kindersley, of West Hoathly
West Hoathly
West Hoathly is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England, located south west of East Grinstead. In the 2001 census 2,121 people, of whom 1,150 were economically active, lived in 813 households. The parish, which has a land area of , includes the hamlets of...
in the County of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
.
Lord Kindersley was succeeded in the Barony by his second son Hugh, his eldest son Lionel having been killed in action in the First World War.