Loel Guinness | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament forBath | |
| In office 1931–1945 | |
| Preceded by | Hon. Charles Baillie-Hamilton |
| Succeeded by | Sir James Pitman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1906-06-09)9 June 1906 |
| Died | 31 December 1988(1988-12-31) (aged 82) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cimetière du Bois de Vaux,Lausanne |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3, includingLindy, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | British Army Royal Auxiliary Air Force |
| Rank | Group Captain |
| Commands | No. 601 (County of London) Squadron |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of the British Empire Mentioned in Despatches (5) |
Group CaptainThomas Loel Evelyn Bulkeley Guinness,OBE (9 June 1906 – 31 December 1988)[3] was a British politician,Royal Air Force officer, business magnate and philanthropist. He wasConservativeMember of Parliament (MP) forBath (1931–1945) and achieved fame as a fighter pilot in theBattle of Britain during World War II. Guinness also financed the purchase of theCalypso, leasing her for one symbolic franc a year[4] to famous oceanic explorerJacques-Yves Cousteau.[5]
Born in Manhattan and raised in the United States and England, Loel Guinness was the only son ofBenjamin Seymour Guinness (1868–1947) a wealthy New York-based, Anglo-Irish financier (later also a Prince in theItalian nobility) from whom he inherited a fortune.[6] He had two sisters:Meraud Michelle Wemyss Guinness[7] and Tanis Eva Guinness.[3]
He was educated atRoyal Military College, Sandhurst, and thereafter gained the rank oflieutenant in the service of theIrish Guards.[3]
After taking flying lessons, Guinness joined theRoyal Aero Club in 1928.[8] The following year, he became one of the first private citizens in England to own an airplane and soon he was a member of the County of London'sAuxiliary Air Force squadron. He later served as president of Air Work Ltd., an aircraft-parts supplier, and ofBritish United Airways.[5]
In 1931, on his third try, Guinness was elected to Parliament forBath[6] and was named parliamentary private secretary toSir Philip Sassoon, the Under Secretary for Air from 1931 to 1935. He held his seat until 1945, when he stood down.[5]
Guinness gained the rank ofgroup captain in the service of theRoyal Auxiliary Air Force. When theSecond World War broke out in 1939, Guinness went on active duty with theRoyal Air Force. In 1940 he flew as a fighter pilot in theBattle of Britain, famously buying a petrol station near his aerodrome when his driving was restricted by rationing. In 1944 he became commander of a wing of theSecond Tactical Air Force and by the war's end he had beenMentioned in Despatches five times. He was invested as anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire in 1942. The Netherlands made him aCommander of the Order of Orange-Nassau and France made him anOfficer of the Legion of Honour and awarded him aCroix de Guerre.[5]
Guinness's first marriage was to The Hon.Joan Barbara Yarde-Buller (1908–1997), eldest daughter of the3rd Baron Churston.[9][10] Before their divorce, they had a son, Patrick Benjamin Guinness,[11] who was killed in an automobile accident nearRarogne, Switzerland.[12]
Joan left him forPrince Aly Khan, the eldest son of theAga Khan III, the 43rdShia Imam, and Guinness successfully sued Joan and Khan on grounds of adultery. Joan and Khan did not defend the charges and the judge,Mr Justice Bucknill, granted Guinness adecree nisi and full custody of their son and ordered Khan to pay court costs.[13] Joan married Khan on 18 May 1936, a few days after the divorce became absolute.[14][15][16]
In 1936, he married his second wife,Lady Isabel Violet Kathleen Manners (1918–2008), daughter of the9th Duke of Rutland.[17][18] The Guinnesses were prominent in society atPalm Beach.[19][20] Together, they were the parents of a son and a daughter,Serena Belinda Rosemary ("Lindy") Guinness, who became the Marchioness of Dufferin upon her marriage to the5th Marquess of Dufferin.[5]
In a reversal of the outcome of his first marriage, in 1951, Lady Isabel was granted a divorce after accusing him of adultery, which he did not contest.[21]
On 7 April 1951,[22] he married his third wife, the Mexican socialiteGloria Rubio y Alatorre (1913–1980).[23][24] Her daughter,Dolores married his eldest son.[5][25]
On 31 December 1988, Guinness died ofheart disease atThe Methodist Hospital inHouston, Texas, United States.[5] He was buried with the remains of his third wife at theBois-de-Vaux Cemetery,Lausanne.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forBath 1931–1945 | Succeeded by |
