Tiny Rowland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tiny Rowland
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| Born |
Roland Walter Fuhrhop
27 November 1917 |
| Died | 25 July 1998 (aged 80) London, England
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| Education | Churcher's College |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Trying to take over companies |
| Spouse(s) |
Josie Taylor
(m. 1968) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Plum Sykes (daughter-in-law) |
Roland Walter "Tiny" Rowland (born Fuhrhop; 27 November 1917 – 25 July 1998) was a British businessman. He was the chief executive of a large company called Lonrho from 1962 to 1993. He became well-known for trying to buy and take control of other companies, especially his attempt to take over the famous department store Harrods. He was also known for his many business dealings in Africa and his connections with several African leaders.
Early Life and Nickname
Roland Walter Fuhrhop was born on 27 November 1917 in Calcutta, India. This was during World War I. His mother was Anglo-Dutch, and his father, Wilhelm Fuhrhop, was a German trader. Because he was born in British India, he automatically became a British citizen.
His parents were seen as "enemy aliens" during the war. After the war, they moved to Hamburg, Germany, because they couldn't enter the United Kingdom.
He was nicknamed "Tiny" by his nanny. This was a funny name because he was actually a large child! In the 1930s, he was briefly involved with the Hitler Youth. However, his father strongly disliked Hitler. So, in 1937, his family moved to Britain to escape National Socialist Germany.
Tiny went to Churcher's College in Hampshire, England. There, he learned to speak and act with an upper-class British style. His family settled in England in 1937.
He then worked for his uncle's shipping business in London. He changed his last name to Rowland, his uncle's name, when World War II started. He joined the British Army and served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. His parents were kept in a special camp on the Isle of Man because they were considered "enemy aliens." His mother died there. Tiny himself was also held in a camp for a short time after trying to help his father.
Leading Lonrho
In 1948, Rowland moved to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). There, he managed a tobacco farm.
In 1962, Rowland became the chief executive of the London and Rhodesian Mining and Land Company. This company later became known as Lonrho. Under his leadership, Lonrho grew a lot. It started with mining but expanded into many different businesses. These included newspapers, hotels, distribution, and textiles.
In 1973, some directors at Lonrho tried to remove Rowland from his job. They said he was difficult and had hidden financial information. Rowland tried to stop them legally but failed. However, the company's shareholders supported him, and he kept his position. The British Prime Minister at the time, Edward Heath, even spoke about the company in Parliament.
In 1983, Rowland took over The Observer newspaper and became its chairman. He also tried very hard to gain control of the famous Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, London. However, he lost to an Egyptian-born businessman named Mohamed Al-Fayed. Rowland later wrote a book where he shared his strong opinions about the Fayed family and the Harrods takeover.
In October 1993, Rowland was forced to step down as chairman of Lonrho. This happened after a disagreement with a German businessman named Dieter Bock. He was replaced by Sir John Leahy. In March 1995, the company's board officially dismissed him.
In 1996, Nelson Mandela, the President of South Africa, gave Rowland the Order of Good Hope. This is the highest honor in South Africa. Tiny Rowland died from cancer in London on 25 July 1998.
Personal Life
Rowland met Josie Taylor in 1965, and they got married in 1968. They stayed married until Tiny's death in 1998. They had four children together. One of their children, Toby Rowland, later helped create the video game company King in 2003. Toby married the fashion writer Plum Sykes in 2005.
See also
- The Maltese Double Cross – Lockerbie (film)
