Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Hay Wrightson | |
| Chairman of theBritish-American Tobacco Company | |
| In office 1923–1945 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1870-08-16)16 August 1870 Kensington, London, England |
| Died | 14 December 1947(1947-12-14) (aged 77) |
Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen, 1st Baronet (16 August 1870 – 14 December 1947) was an English industrialist.
Cunliffe-Owen was born inKensington,London, the younger son ofSir Philip Cunliffe-Owen, director of theSouth Kensington Museum.[1] He was educated atBrighton College and thenClifton College.[2]
Cunliffe-Owen articled as acivil engineer withSir John Wolfe-Barry. He first went into business inBristol. He became a director of theBritish-American Tobacco Company on its formation in 1902, later becoming vice-chairman, and chairman from 1923 until his retirement in 1945. For the last two years of his life, he was president of the company. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Car and Foundry in Canada until 1940.
He was chairman ofCunliffe-Owen Aircraft Ltd until his death in 1947. He was also associated withBritish and Foreign Aviation Ltd, a company with a nominal capital of £250,000. its stated objects were to acquire not less than 90 per cent of the issued share capital ofOlley Air Service Ltd andAir Commerce Ltd and to make agreements between Olley Air Service Ltd,[3] Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen, and others to operate air services and aerodromes and manufacture, deal in, and repair aircraft. Associated companies includedWest Coast Air Services Ltd andIsle of Man Air Services.
Cunliffe-Owen worked for theMinistry of Information during theFirst World War, and for this he was created abaronet in the 1920 New Year Honours.[4]
Cunliffe-Owen lived atSunningdale Park inBerkshire. He marriedHelen Elizabeth Oliver in 1918. They had two sons and two daughters. She died in 1934, and the following year Cunliffe-Owen remarried, to Mauricia Martha Shaw ofCalifornia. They were legally separated in 1946.
Cunliffe-Owen's mistress, former dancer Marjorie Daw, changed her name by deed poll to Cunliffe-Owen prior to his death. In his will, he left Marjorie half his £1,354,000 fortune, and nothing to his legal wife, Mauricia, from whom he was separated. Mauricia took out a £1,000,000 lawsuit again Marjorie[5] for enticing away her husband and for damages for alleged libels.[6]
His eldest son, Sub-Lieutenant Hugo Leslie Cunliffe-Owen, was killed serving with theFleet Air Arm aboard theaircraft carrierHMSIndomitable on 12 August 1942, aged 21.[7] His second son, Dudley Herbert, succeeded him in the baronetcy and at Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft.
Cunliffe-Owen was a prominent supporter ofThoroughbred horse racing. He wonThe Derby with his horseFelstead in 1928,[8] although the best horse he owned was probably the fillyRockfel.[9]
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| Preceded by | Chairman of the British-American Tobacco Company 1923–1945 | Succeeded by |
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New title | Baronet (of Bray) 1920–1947 | Succeeded by Dudley Herbert Cunliffe-Owen |
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