Charles Clore
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Clore was a British
financier, retail and property magnate and philanthropist.
, the British Shoe Corporation and Selfridges
department store, as well as investing heavily in property.
He owned Jowett Cars Ltd
from 1945-1947 where he was known as "Santa Clore" for his hoped-for financial investment. His philanthropic trust, the Clore Foundation, is a major donor to arts and Jewish community projects in Britain and abroad. The Clore Gallery at Tate Britain
in London
, which houses the world's largest collection of the works of J.M.W. Turner, was built in 1980-87 with £6 million from Clore and his daughter and £1.8 million from the British government.
Sir Charles and his wife, Lady Francine, had two children, Vivien and Alan Evelyn Clore. Clore Shipping Company had two oil tankers the Vivien Louise and the Alan Evelyn.
Upon Sir Charles' death, Inland Revenue sued, claiming he was British domiciled (he had claimed Monaco domicile), in order to collect inheritance taxes. The court upheld the Inland Revenue position.
Clore was mentioned in the song "Sounding Brass", by Flanders and Swann
, that satirises social climbing and the acquisition of status symbols:
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...
financier, retail and property magnate and philanthropist.
Career
Charles Clore owned, through Sears HoldingsSears plc
Sears plc was a large British-based conglomerate. The Company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but it was acquired by Sir Philip Green in 1999.-History:...
, the British Shoe Corporation and Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
department store, as well as investing heavily in property.
He owned Jowett Cars Ltd
Jowett
Jowett was a manufacturer of light cars and light commercial vehicles in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England from 1906 to 1954.-Early history:Jowett was founded in 1901 by brothers Benjamin and William Jowett with Arthur V Lamb. They started in the cycle business and went on to make V-twin engines...
from 1945-1947 where he was known as "Santa Clore" for his hoped-for financial investment. His philanthropic trust, the Clore Foundation, is a major donor to arts and Jewish community projects in Britain and abroad. The Clore Gallery at Tate Britain
Tate Britain
Tate Britain is an art gallery situated on Millbank in London, and part of the Tate gallery network in Britain, with Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is the oldest gallery in the network, opening in 1897. It houses a substantial collection of the works of J. M. W. Turner.-History:It...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, which houses the world's largest collection of the works of J.M.W. Turner, was built in 1980-87 with £6 million from Clore and his daughter and £1.8 million from the British government.
Sir Charles and his wife, Lady Francine, had two children, Vivien and Alan Evelyn Clore. Clore Shipping Company had two oil tankers the Vivien Louise and the Alan Evelyn.
Upon Sir Charles' death, Inland Revenue sued, claiming he was British domiciled (he had claimed Monaco domicile), in order to collect inheritance taxes. The court upheld the Inland Revenue position.
Clore was mentioned in the song "Sounding Brass", by Flanders and Swann
Flanders and Swann
The British duo Flanders and Swann were the actor and singer Michael Flanders and the composer, pianist and linguist Donald Swann , who collaborated in writing and performing comic songs....
, that satirises social climbing and the acquisition of status symbols:
Hell has just been taken over
By a friend of Charlie Clore's.
We've acquired a private furnace
Bigger, hotter, far than yours.
See also
- London Zoo: zoo exhibits funded by Charles Clore.