Bracewell Smith
Encyclopedia
Sir Bracewell Smith, Bt was a British
businessman and Conservative Party
politician.
, Yorkshire
, he attended Wesley Place Primary School in the town. He started as a pupil teacher and attended Leeds University before entering business. He married Edith Whitaker in 1909 and had two children Eileen (born 1911) and George Bracewell Smith
born in 1912.
. In particular he was a major hotel investor/owner and who built the Park Lane Hotel
in 1920. The Bracewell Smith family also owned the Ritz Hotel
which Sir Bracewell Smith's son George (but known as Guy) sold to Trafalgar House for £2.75m in 1976. They at various times had stakes in the Carlton Hotel and Hôtel Ritz Paris
.
Smith was also chairman of Arsenal Football Club
from 1949 until 1962, and his descendants still held a significant shareholding in the club until 2011. His grandsons Clive and Richard Carr as well as Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith
, his grandson Charles' wife, currently sit on the Arsenal board.
1925-28. He was Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Dulwich
between 1932 and 1945, Sheriff of the City of London in 1943 and Lord Mayor of London
in 1946. He was made a Baronet
28 June 1947.
A freeman of Keighley (1957) he donated Cliff Castle to the town for a museum.
The Sir Bracewell Smith Cup and rosette is awarded annually for best exhibit in the Keighley Show.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman and Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Biography
Born in KeighleyKeighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, he attended Wesley Place Primary School in the town. He started as a pupil teacher and attended Leeds University before entering business. He married Edith Whitaker in 1909 and had two children Eileen (born 1911) and George Bracewell Smith
George Bracewell Smith
Sir George Bracewell Smith, 2nd Bt MBE, always called Guy Bracewell Smith, , was a City of London business man who owned the Ritz Hotel and several others.-Background and education:...
born in 1912.
Business
Smith made his fortune in propertyProperty
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
. In particular he was a major hotel investor/owner and who built the Park Lane Hotel
Park Lane Hotel
The Park Lane Hotel is a 5 Star hotel on Piccadilly, London.The hotel was built in the 1920s in the Grand Art Deco Style by Sir Bracewell Smith. The building is a fine example with a mansard roof and Portland stone facade...
in 1920. The Bracewell Smith family also owned the Ritz Hotel
Ritz Hotel
The Ritz London is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Piccadilly and overlooking Green Park in London.- History :Swiss hotelier César Ritz, former manager of the Savoy Hotel, opened the hotel on 24 May 1906...
which Sir Bracewell Smith's son George (but known as Guy) sold to Trafalgar House for £2.75m in 1976. They at various times had stakes in the Carlton Hotel and Hôtel Ritz Paris
Hôtel Ritz Paris
The Hôtel Ritz is a grand palatial hotel in the heart of Paris, the 1st arrondissement. It overlooks the octagonal border of the Place Vendôme at number 15...
.
Smith was also chairman of Arsenal Football Club
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
from 1949 until 1962, and his descendants still held a significant shareholding in the club until 2011. His grandsons Clive and Richard Carr as well as Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith
Nina Bracewell-Smith
Nina, Lady Bracewell-Smith is an Indian-born, United Kingdom-based businesswoman. She was a major shareholder and former non-executive director of the English Premier League football club Arsenal.-Background:...
, his grandson Charles' wife, currently sit on the Arsenal board.
Politics
He turned to politics and was a member of Holborn Borough Council from 1922, serving as Mayor 1931-32, and served on the London County CouncilLondon County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
1925-28. He was Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Dulwich
Dulwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Dulwich was a borough constituency in the Dulwich area of South London, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
between 1932 and 1945, Sheriff of the City of London in 1943 and Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
in 1946. He was made a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
28 June 1947.
Other
In 1958 he was made an Honorary Vice President of the Sports Turf Institute. He was also chairman of Wembley Stadium Ltd.A freeman of Keighley (1957) he donated Cliff Castle to the town for a museum.
The Sir Bracewell Smith Cup and rosette is awarded annually for best exhibit in the Keighley Show.