George Aylwen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir George Aylwen, 1st Baronet
Aylwen in c1948.
621st Lord Mayor of London
In office 9 November 1948 – 9 November 1949
Preceded by	Sir Frederick Wells
Succeeded by	Sir Frederick Rowland
Personal details
Born	12 November 1880 Ilford, Essex
Died	27 September 1967 (aged 86) London, England
Profession	Financier

Sir George Aylwen, 1st Baronet (born November 12, 1880 – died September 27, 1967) was a British businessman who worked with money. He was also the 621st Lord Mayor of London from 1948 to 1949. The Lord Mayor is a very important leader for the historic part of London called the City of London. A Baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can sometimes be passed down in a family.

Sir George Aylwen's Career

Sir George Aylwen started working in 1896. He was a clerk, which is like an office assistant, at a company called J & A Scrimgeour. This company was made up of stockbrokers, who are people who help others buy and sell parts of companies called shares. He worked his way up to become a senior partner, one of the top leaders, by 1948. This was the same year he became the Lord Mayor.

Soon after he started his career, he went to Africa. He served in the army during the Boer War. He earned a special award called the Queen's South Africa Medal. Even though he lost sight in one eye, he bravely served again in the army during the First World War.

From 1937, he was the treasurer for St Bartholomew's Hospital. This meant he managed the hospital's money. He was worried about the new National Health Service (NHS) being created in the 1940s. He feared it would take away freedom from hospitals that relied on donations. However, he later supported the NHS plans. He used his position to ask that the existing hospital leaders stay in charge.

Becoming Lord Mayor of London

Before becoming Lord Mayor, Sir George Aylwen was one of the two sheriffs for the City of London in 1946–1947. He was chosen as the Lord Mayor on September 29, 1948. He officially started his job on November 9.

Less than a week later, on November 14, he was the second person to be told about the birth of Charles, Prince of Wales. The first person was the Home Secretary, a top government official. This was a change from a very old tradition where the Home Secretary had to be there in person for a royal birth.

In 1949, Sir George Aylwen gave a speech at the Savoy Hotel. He joked about the famous entertainer Danny Kaye. He said he wished every meeting of government ministers could start with a performance by Danny Kaye. He thought it might even help with serious talks, like those with the Soviet Union's Foreign Minister at the time. This speech and Danny Kaye's reply were talked about in newspapers in both the UK and the US.

At the Lord Mayor's Show on November 9, 1949, something unexpected happened. This show is a big parade where the new Lord Mayor is sworn in. As Sir George Aylwen was riding in his coach, the two horses pulling it suddenly ran into the crowd. About a dozen people had to go to the hospital. He then finished his journey in the coach of the new Lord Mayor, Sir Frederick Rowland.

Awards and Titles

Sir George Aylwen was given the title of a knight bachelor in 1942. This meant he could be called "Sir." On November 25, 1949, he was made a baronet. This was a special title that could be passed down to his male children. His baronetcy was called "of Saint Bartholomew's in the City of London." However, when he passed away in 1967, this special title ended because he did not have any sons.

Sir George Aylwen's Family Life

Sir George Aylwen had two daughters. Marjorie was born in 1906, and Margaret was born in 1909. He also had two grandsons, Michael Lampson, born in 1936, and David Lampson, born in 1939. He later married a playwright named Ingraa Elena D'etter Bulgarides.