William Vestey, 1st Baron Vestey
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2019) |
The Lord Vestey | |
|---|---|
 Baron Vestey in 1925 | |
| Born | 21 January 1859 |
| Died | 10 December 1940 (aged 81) |
| Resting place | Liverpool Cathedral |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | 1st Baron Vestey |
| Successor | Samuel Vestey, 2nd Baron |
William Vestey, 1st Baron Vestey (21 January 1859 – 10 December 1940), was an English shipping magnate.[1]
Biography
Early life
William Vestey was born on 21 January 1859. He came from an old Liverpool family of traders. In 1876, at the age of seventeen, he was sent to Chicago by his father Samuel Vestey, a provisioner of Liverpool.[2]
Career
He first managed a meat canning factory that was financed by his father. Together with his younger brother
The Vestey brothers then went to
They acquired the 3,000-square-kilometre (1,200 sq mi)
In 1915, the brothers, after being refused a request for income tax exemption made to David Lloyd George, moved to Buenos Aires to avoid paying income tax in the UK. The family later administered the business through a Paris trust that enabled it to legally avoid UK tax until the loophole was closed in 1991.[5] From 1915 to 1918, they moved to Chicago then to Argentina and back to England. Lord Vestey later became an important benefactor to Liverpool Cathedral, where he funded the building of the bell tower.
First World War and peerage
During the
His appointment occurred at the height of the
Personal life
His first wife died in 1923 and was buried in Liverpool Cathedral. He then married Evelene Brodstone of Superior, Nebraska, on 1 August 1924. She had been working as a stenographer with the Vestey Meat Packing Plant in Chicago, where she was spotted by his brother. She would rise through the company, eventually becoming the highest paid female executive in the world. She survived him following his death aged 81 in December 1940. His ashes were buried in Liverpool Cathedral. On 24 July 1941, the 2nd Lady Vestey was buried at Evergreen Cemetery of Superior in Nebraska. Each spring during memorial weekend, Superior holds the annual Lady Vestey Festival in her honour. This is the town's largest annual celebration and it attracts many people from around the area.
Literature
- Phillip Knightley The Rise and Fall of the House of Vestey, on the business empire established by William Vestey in 1897;
References
- ^ Perren, Richard (2006). "Vestey, William, first Baron Vestey (1859-1940)" (PDF). The History of Blue Star Line & Associated Companies. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ "Welcome to Superior". Archived from the original on 4 May 2002.
- ^ Lawford, Elliana; Zillman, Stephanie (18 August 2016). "Timeline: From Wave Hill protest to land handbacks". ABC News. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- Victoria Government. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ Heirs and disgraces, The Guardian, 11 August 1999.
- ^ Welcome to HereditaryTitles.com Archived 13 December 2004 at the Wayback Machine at www.hereditarytitles.com
- ^ "No. 28733". The London Gazette. 1 July 1913. p. 4638.
- ^ "No. 32722". The London Gazette. 23 June 1922. p. 4718.
- ISBN 978-0-85793-569-4.
- ^ "Heirs and disgraces". the Guardian. 11 August 1999.