George Lawson Johnston, 1st Baron Luke
Encyclopedia
George Lawson Johnston, 1st Baron Luke, KBE
(9 September 1873 – 23 February 1943), was a British
businessman.
Luke was the second son of John Lawson Johnston
, a beef manufacturer and the founder of Bovril Ltd
and Elizabeth, daughter of George Lawson, biscuit manufacturer of Edinburgh. He was educated privately in Canada, at Dulwich College
and at Blair Lodge, Polmont (a former Scottish public school). He worked in Canada, Australia, Africa and Argentina, and thereby developed expertise in trade and raw materials. He returned from Argentina in 1896 and joined the board of Bovril Ltd, of which he became Vice-Chairman in 1900 when his father died. He was a Director of the Daily Express
from its foundation in 1900 to 1917, and was also a director of Lloyds Bank
. During World War I
he was a member of the leather control board and Chairman of Committees in the Raw Materials Department at the War Office
.
Apart from his business career he was also a member of the Bedfordshire County Council
and served as a Justice of the Peace
and was High Sheriff of Bedfordshire
in 1924. He was particularly noted for his work for hospitals, being honorary Treasurer of the Royal Northern Hospital from 1909 to 1923, chairman of the organizing committee of the Hospitals of London combined appeal in 1922, Honourary Secretary of King Edward's Hospital fund for London, Chairman of the British Charities Association, Treasurer of the County of London Red Cross, and Hon Secretary of the League of Mercy
In 1929 was he raised to the peerage as Baron Luke, of Pavenham in the County of Bedford. He chose his title partly because St Luke was the patron of hospitals, and partly from the parish of St Luke, Old Street EC1 with which he had a long association. He later served as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
between 1936 and 1943.
Lord Luke died in February 1943, aged 69, and was succeeded in the barony by his son Ian.
Lord Luke married Hon. Edith Laura St John, daughter of Beauchamp Mowbray St John, 17th Baron St John of Bletso
, in 1902 and had a son and two daughters. His daughter Margaret married James Pitman
. His second son Hugh was married to Audrey Lawson-Johnston, the last survivor of the sinking of RMS Lusitania
.
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...
(9 September 1873 – 23 February 1943), was a British
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.
Luke was the second son of John Lawson Johnston
John Lawson Johnston
John Lawson Johnston was the creator of Bovril.He was born in 29 Main Street, Roslin, Midlothian. A plaque is on the property and can be seen above the door...
, a beef manufacturer and the founder of Bovril Ltd
Bovril
Bovril is the trademarked name of a thick, salty meat extract, developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnston and sold in a distinctive, bulbous jar. It is made in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, owned and distributed by Unilever UK....
and Elizabeth, daughter of George Lawson, biscuit manufacturer of Edinburgh. He was educated privately in Canada, at Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
and at Blair Lodge, Polmont (a former Scottish public school). He worked in Canada, Australia, Africa and Argentina, and thereby developed expertise in trade and raw materials. He returned from Argentina in 1896 and joined the board of Bovril Ltd, of which he became Vice-Chairman in 1900 when his father died. He was a Director of the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
from its foundation in 1900 to 1917, and was also a director of Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank Plc was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1765 until its merger into Lloyds TSB in 1995; it remains a registered company but is currently dormant. It expanded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and took over a number of smaller banking companies...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was a member of the leather control board and Chairman of Committees in the Raw Materials Department at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
.
Apart from his business career he was also a member of the Bedfordshire County Council
Bedfordshire County Council
Bedfordshire County Council was the county council of the non-metropolitan county of Bedfordshire in England. It was established in 1889 and was abolished on 1 April 2009. The county council was based in Bedford. It was replaced with three unitary authorities: Bedford Borough Council, Central...
and served as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and was High Sheriff of Bedfordshire
High Sheriff of Bedfordshire
-1066–1125:*1066-c.1084: Ansculf de Picquigny*Ralph Taillebois*Hugh de Belcamp*1124 Richard of WinchesterFrom 1125 through the end of 1575, appointees to the shrievalty held the joint office of High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.-1575–1599:...
in 1924. He was particularly noted for his work for hospitals, being honorary Treasurer of the Royal Northern Hospital from 1909 to 1923, chairman of the organizing committee of the Hospitals of London combined appeal in 1922, Honourary Secretary of King Edward's Hospital fund for London, Chairman of the British Charities Association, Treasurer of the County of London Red Cross, and Hon Secretary of the League of Mercy
In 1929 was he raised to the peerage as Baron Luke, of Pavenham in the County of Bedford. He chose his title partly because St Luke was the patron of hospitals, and partly from the parish of St Luke, Old Street EC1 with which he had a long association. He later served as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire. Since 1711, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Bedfordshire.*William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton 1549–1551...
between 1936 and 1943.
Lord Luke died in February 1943, aged 69, and was succeeded in the barony by his son Ian.
Lord Luke married Hon. Edith Laura St John, daughter of Beauchamp Mowbray St John, 17th Baron St John of Bletso
Beauchamp Mowbray St John, 17th Baron St John of Bletso
Beauchamp Moubray St John, 17th Baron St John of Bletso was an English peer.St John was born at Melchbourne, the second son of St Andrew St John, 15th Baron St John of Bletso and his wife Eleanor Hussey. He served in the Highland Light Infantry until 1867...
, in 1902 and had a son and two daughters. His daughter Margaret married James Pitman
James Pitman
Sir James Pitman, KBE was a British businessman, civil servant, publisher, politician and spelling reformer.Sir James was vitally concerned with the teaching of children to write the English language...
. His second son Hugh was married to Audrey Lawson-Johnston, the last survivor of the sinking of RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
.
Sources
- Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.