Ken Morrison facts for kids

Sir Kenneth Duncan Morrison (born October 20, 1931 – died February 1, 2017) was an important English businessman. He was the chairman and later the Life President of Morrisons, a very big supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. His father, William Morrison, started the company. Ken Morrison helped it grow into one of the largest supermarket groups in the country.

Early Life and Family

Ken Morrison was born in Bradford, England, on October 20, 1931. He was the youngest child of William Murdoch Morrison and Hilda Morrison. His parents owned a small grocery business that his father had started way back in 1899. Ken grew up with five older sisters.

School and Early Work

While he was still a student at Bradford Grammar School, Ken spent his school holidays working in the family business. He learned a lot by doing different jobs, like working at market stalls or checking eggs for problems. This early experience taught him a lot about the grocery world.

Starting His Career

After school, Ken served in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. This was part of his National Service, which was a time when young men had to join the military. He finished his service in 1952. When his father became very ill, Ken took over managing the family business at just 26 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Ken Morrison was recognized for his hard work and success. He received the CBE award in 1990. Then, in 2000, he was made a knight by the Queen. This meant he could be called "Sir Ken Morrison" for his great contributions to the food retail industry.

At one point, his family's wealth was estimated to be over £1.5 billion, making them one of the richest families in the UK. Even today, his family still owns a significant part of the Morrisons company.

Where He Lived

Ken Morrison lived near York, in a place called Myton Hall in Myton-on-Swale, North Yorkshire. He lived there with his wife, Lynne, and his two youngest children.

Building the Morrisons Business

By 1956, Ken Morrison was in charge of a small group of shops. This was the very beginning of what would become the huge Morrisons supermarket chain. Under his leadership, the company grew into a well-known name across the UK. It became the largest public company with its main office in Yorkshire.

Head Office Name

The company was named after his father, William Morrison. However, the main office building for Morrisons is called "Hilmore House." This name is a tribute to his mother, Hilda Morrison. The first Hilmore House was on Thornton Road, but it moved to a bigger location when Morrisons took over another supermarket chain called Safeway.

Challenges and Successes

In 2004, Morrisons took over Safeway. This was a very big deal, but it also caused some problems for the company at first. There were difficulties combining the two businesses, and Morrisons had some financial challenges.

However, Morrisons worked hard to fix these issues. By September 2006, the company announced record profits. This showed that Morrisons had recovered and was doing very well again. Ken Morrison was known for being the longest-serving chairman of a top 100 public company in the UK.

Stepping Down

In June 2006, Ken Morrison announced that he would step down from his main role in the company. He wanted to let someone new take over as chief executive. He officially left his chairman position in March 2008. After that, he took on an honorary role as "Life President" of Morrisons. This meant he was still connected to the company he had helped build for so many years.

Death

Sir Ken Morrison passed away on February 1, 2017, after a short illness. He was 85 years old.