Charles McLaren, 3rd Baron Aberconway

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Coat of arms of Baron Aberconway

Charles Melville McLaren, 3rd Baron But Conway , JP (* 16th April 1913 ; † 4. February 2003 ) was a British industrialist , gardener , peer and politician of the Conservative Party .

life and career

McLaren was born on April 16, 1913 to Henry McLaren, 2nd Baron Aberconway and Christabel Macnaghten.

He attended Eton College and New College and became a barrister of the Middle Temple Bar Association .

As a young man he became a director of John Brown & Company , the board of directors ( board ) was his father. Because of this connection he took part in a secret, unofficial meeting of British industrialists with Hermann Göring on Sylt in 1939 . The meeting was authorized by Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax and was intended as a last resort attempt to prevent a German invasion of Poland through concessions. This proved a failure and McLaren kept the meeting a secret until 2000.

During the Second World War he entered the Royal Artillery and became a second lieutenant .

After the war he took on a more active role in the family's corporations, preparing to succeed his father. He was also director of Westland Aircraft from 1947 to 1985.

In 1946 he became Justice of the Peace for Denbighshire and in 1950 High Sheriff of Denbighshire.

In 1953 he inherited his father's title, chairing John Brown and English China Clays , as well as various other positions in the industry. He was chairman until 1986 and 1984, respectively. Despite his management duties, McLaren also showed great interest in horticulture. In addition to maintaining the family's Bodnant Garden , he was also President of the Royal Horticultural Society from 1961 to 1983, overseeing the administration of the Chelsea Flower Show . His annual affirmation became famous: "I think I can say without fear of contradiction that this is the most beautiful Chelsea Flower Show of all time."

He wrote several notable letters to the Times to the editor .

Membership in the House of Lords

With the title of Baron Aberconway , he also inherited the then associated seat in the House of Lords . There he sat as a member of the Conservative Party . He gave his inaugural address on December 2, 1980. He did not speak up again later.

He seldom attended meetings. He was completely absent from the 1997 to 1998 session. McLaren lost his seat under the House of Lords Act 1999 .

Family and death

McLaren married Deirdre Knewstub, the youngest daughter of John Knewstub, on December 6, 1941. They had three children together, including two daughters and a son. In 1949 they divorced and in the same year (October 15) he married Ann Bullard (née Aymer), the former wife of Maj Robert Lee Bullard III. They had a son together. He is the manager of Bodnant Garden .

He died on February 4, 2003 at the age of 89. His older son inherited his title as Charles McLaren, 4th Baron Aberconway (* 1948).

Web links

literature

  • Who Was Who, A&C Black, 1920-2007; Online Edition, Oxford University Press, 2007

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Charles Melville McLaren, 3rd Baron Aberconway on thepeerage.com , accessed September 13, 2016.
  2. ↑ ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS Publication on the website of the House of Lords ; accessed on January 1, 2013
  3. ↑ Aberconway, Baron (UK, 1911) entry in Cracrofspeerage ; Retrieved January 1, 2012
predecessor Office successor
Henry McLaren Baron Aberconway
1953-2003 		Charles McLaren
personal data
SURNAME McLaren, Charles, 3rd Baron Aberconway
ALTERNATIVE NAMES McLaren, Charles Melville, 3rd Baron Aberconway (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British gardener, industrialist, peer and politician (Conservative Party)
DATE OF BIRTH April 16, 1913
DATE OF DEATH February 4, 2003