Sir George Bracewell Smith, 2nd Bt MBE

Order of the British Empire

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

, always called Guy Bracewell Smith, (12 December 1912 – 18 September 1976), was a City of London

City of London

The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...

 business man who 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...

 and several others.

Background and education

The son of Sir Bracewell Smith, 1st Baronet

Bracewell Smith

Sir Bracewell Smith, Bt was a British businessman and Conservative Party politician.-Biography:Born in Keighley, Yorkshire, he attended Wesley Place Primary School in the town. He started as a pupil teacher and attended Leeds University before entering business...

, KCVO

Royal Victorian Order

The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...

 (1884-1966), he was educated at Wrekin College

Wrekin College

Wrekin College is a co-educational independent school located in Wellington, Shropshire, England. It was founded by Sir John Bayley in 1880 and was known as ‘The School in the Garden’ owing to its extensive gardens and playing fields...

 and Emmanuel College, Cambridge

Emmanuel College, Cambridge

Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...

.

Family

Bracewell Smith married Helene Hydock, from Philadelphia, in 1951. They had two sons, Guy Bracewell Smith and Charles Bracewell-Smith

Charles Bracewell-Smith

Sir Charles Bracewell-Smith was born in October 1955 and educated at Harrow School. He is the founder of the Homestead Charitable Trust and author of "The Song of the Saints". He is grandson of Bracewell Smith and son of George Bracewell Smith. He succeeded to the baronetcy after the death of his...

.

Career

Bracewell Smith was a City of London

City of London

The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...

 business man. He was Chairman of 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...

 and 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...

 and a director of Arsenal Football Club. He sold the Ritz Hotel to Trafalgar House

Trafalgar House (company)

Trafalgar House Public Limited Company was a British conglomerate with interests in property investment, property development, engineering, construction, shipping, hotels, energy and publishing...

 for £2.75m in 1976.

He was a director of Arsenal Football Club from 1953 to 1976, his father having been chairman from 1948 to 1962.