Denys Lowson facts for kids

Sir Denys Colquhoun Flowerdew Lowson, 1st Baronet (born January 22, 1906 – died September 10, 1975) was an important British lawyer and financier. He held the special role of Lord Mayor of London from 1950 to 1951.

Early Life and School

Denys Lowson was born in a place called Snitterfield House in Warwickshire. He was the third child of James Gray Flowerdew Lowson, who made paper in Scotland, and Adelaide Louisa Scott. His mother was born in British India.

Denys had an older brother, Courtenay, who sadly died in the First World War in 1917. His sister, Eleanor, married a military officer named William Revell Revell-Smith.

Denys went to two well-known schools: Winchester College and Christ Church, Oxford University.

A Career in Law and Finance

In 1930, Denys became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer, at the Inner Temple. He became very good at finance, especially with something called unit trusts, which are ways for many people to invest money together. In the 1940s, he took charge of a big group of these trusts called the National Group.

A newspaper called The Times once said that Lowson often tried to make things better for himself and his businesses, sometimes more than for the companies he was supposed to be helping.

Leading the City of London

Sir Denys Lowson held many important jobs in London. He was the Sheriff of the City of London from 1939 to 1940. He then became an Alderman of London, which is like a city council member, from 1942 to 1973.

His most famous role was Lord Mayor of London from 1950 to 1951. When he was elected, he was only 44 years old, making him the youngest Lord Mayor in modern times.

He also had other special roles, like being the High Steward of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1952. He was also a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Being a Freeman of the City of London was another honor he held.

Sir Denys was involved in many different groups. He was a governor for hospitals, a leader in several livery companies (old trade guilds), and president or vice-president of many national and international organizations.

Because of his important work, he was given a special title: a Baronet Lowson, of Westlaws, County Perth, on June 27, 1951.

Later Years and Challenges

In July 1974, a business magazine called Investors Chronicle wrote about some problems with Sir Denys's financial businesses. They said his companies were very complicated, with many different parts connected to each other.

It was found that in 1972, Sir Denys bought shares in the National Group, which he controlled, for a very low price. Then, just a few months later, he sold them for a much higher price. This meant he made a very large personal profit, estimated to be around £5 million.

After an investigation, inspectors said that Sir Denys had managed his companies in a way that greatly benefited himself and his family. Sir Denys apologized and said he would pay back a lot of money. His lawyers said his mistakes were due to his age and health, not because he meant to trick anyone. However, the inspectors did not agree with this explanation. Within a few weeks, Sir Denys stepped down from his leadership roles in his companies.

Sir Denys's health quickly got worse. He went on a long cruise on the Queen Elizabeth 2 ship. He passed away the next year in Marylebone, London, when he was 69 years old. He was buried in Scotland at Kinfauns Parish Church in Kinfauns, Perth and Kinross.

After Sir Denys died, a friend named Lord Inman wrote to The Times newspaper. He said that many of Sir Denys's old friends would be sad. He wanted people to remember the good things Sir Denys did, which were often done quietly and kindly. Lord Inman remembered how helpful Sir Denys was, especially with his hospital work, giving both his money and his time.

His Family

On July 17, 1936, Sir Denys Lowson married Hon. Ann Patricia Macpherson. She was the daughter of Ian Macpherson, 1st Baron Strathcarron. They had three children:

• Sir Ian Patrick Lowson, 2nd Baronet (born September 4, 1944), who married Tanya Theresa Judge.
• Gay Ann Lowson, Countess of Kinnoull (1938–2016), who married the 15th Earl of Kinnoull.
• Melanie Fiona Louisa Lowson (born 1940), who married Charles Archibald Adam Black.

Lady Lowson, Sir Denys's wife, passed away in 2003.