Lancelot Royle
Encyclopedia
Sir Lancelot Carrington Royle KBE
(31 May 1898 – 19 June 1978) was a British olympian
and businessman.
Royle was an Olympic athlete (Paris
1924), Chairman and CEO of Allied Suppliers Ltd., Home and Colonial Stores
Ltd., Lipton
Ltd., NAAFI and one of Britain’s leading 20th century retail businessmen.
, the famous test cricketer, and grew up at Stanmore
Park, north of London
. He was educated at Harrow School
and RMA Woolwich.
and shipped out to France
to fight in the First World War. He was to remain on European theatre until the Armistice
in 1918.
At the end of the war, Royle remained in the army, and was encouraged to develop his sporting prowess. He was a highly talented sprinter, competing regularly with the likes of Harold Abrahams
and Eric Liddell
for honours. He was British Army sprint Champion in 1920 and 1921, but resigned his commission as a Lieutenant
later the same year. In 1924, he represented Great Britain
as part of the "Chariots of Fire
" team in Paris
. He won a Silver Medal in the 4 * 100 relay, in a team including Harold Abrahams. He was also a talented 200 meter sprinter, and it was he that gave up his spot to allow Eric Liddell to run the 200 meter race where Liddell won Bronze.
in 1928. By the start of the Second World War, was regarded as one of the finest retail executives in the country. He rejoined the Royal Artillery, but was asked by the Prime Minister
, Winston Churchill
to be co-chairman of the Macharg/Royle Treasury Committee and then to take on the Chairmanship of NAAFI. He was to hold the Chairmanship for 12 years, during which time NAAFI developed into a global operation, serving British forces around the Empire. As Chairman & CEO, he transformed Home and Colonial Stores
into one of premier retail shopping destinations in the United Kingdom. He was invited to sit on the boards of British Match Corporation as deputy chairman, Wilkinson Sword
, Bryant and May
, Liebigs and Oxo
among others. He was a Governor of Harrow School
. He resigned his Royal Artillery commission as a Captain
in 1948.
(KBE) in 1944.
He married Barbara Haldin in 1922, they had 2 sons (Anthony Royle
, later Baron Fanshawe of Richmond and Timothy Royle
, founder of the Control Risks Group
) and a daughter (Penelope Royle, now Oldham). He died in 1978 aged 80.
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...
(31 May 1898 – 19 June 1978) was a British olympian
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and businessman.
Royle was an Olympic athlete (Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
1924), Chairman and CEO of Allied Suppliers Ltd., Home and Colonial Stores
Home and Colonial Stores
Home & Colonial Stores was once one of the United Kingdom's largest retail chains. Its formation of a vast chain of retail stores in the late 1920s is seen as the first step in the development of a UK food retail market dominated by a small number of food multiples.-History:The business was founded...
Ltd., Lipton
Lipton
Lipton is a brand of tea currently owned by Unilever.-History of Lipton Tea:Lipton was created at the end of the 19th century by a grocer, Sir Thomas Lipton, in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1893, he established the Thomas J. Lipton Co., a tea packing company with its headquarters and factory in Hobo ken,...
Ltd., NAAFI and one of Britain’s leading 20th century retail businessmen.
Education
Lancelot Royle was the son of Rev. Vernon RoyleVernon Royle
The Reverend Vernon Peter Fanshawe Archer Royle . He was the son of Dr. Peter Royle and Marina Fanshawe. He played cricket for Oxford University and Lancashire. He was a member of Lord Harris's cricket team to tour Australia in 1878/9...
, the famous test cricketer, and grew up at Stanmore
Stanmore
Stanmore is a suburban area of the London Borough of Harrow, in northwest London. It is situated northwest of Charing Cross. The area is home to Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, high.-Toponymy:...
Park, north of 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...
. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and RMA Woolwich.
Early career
Royle left Harrow in 1916 and was commissioned into the Royal Field ArtilleryRoyal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
and shipped out to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to fight in the First World War. He was to remain on European theatre until the Armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
in 1918.
At the end of the war, Royle remained in the army, and was encouraged to develop his sporting prowess. He was a highly talented sprinter, competing regularly with the likes of Harold Abrahams
Harold Abrahams
Harold Maurice Abrahams, CBE, was a British athlete of Jewish origin. He was Olympic champion in 1924 in the 100 metres sprint, a feat depicted in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire.-Early life:...
and Eric Liddell
Eric Liddell
Eric Henry Liddell was a Scottish athlete, rugby union international player, and missionary.Liddell was the winner of the men's 400 metres at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris...
for honours. He was British Army sprint Champion in 1920 and 1921, but resigned his commission as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
later the same year. In 1924, he represented Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
as part of the "Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
" team in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He won a Silver Medal in the 4 * 100 relay, in a team including Harold Abrahams. He was also a talented 200 meter sprinter, and it was he that gave up his spot to allow Eric Liddell to run the 200 meter race where Liddell won Bronze.
Business career
Royle began his business career with Unilever, joining Home and Colonial StoresHome and Colonial Stores
Home & Colonial Stores was once one of the United Kingdom's largest retail chains. Its formation of a vast chain of retail stores in the late 1920s is seen as the first step in the development of a UK food retail market dominated by a small number of food multiples.-History:The business was founded...
in 1928. By the start of the Second World War, was regarded as one of the finest retail executives in the country. He rejoined the Royal Artillery, but was asked by the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
to be co-chairman of the Macharg/Royle Treasury Committee and then to take on the Chairmanship of NAAFI. He was to hold the Chairmanship for 12 years, during which time NAAFI developed into a global operation, serving British forces around the Empire. As Chairman & CEO, he transformed Home and Colonial Stores
Home and Colonial Stores
Home & Colonial Stores was once one of the United Kingdom's largest retail chains. Its formation of a vast chain of retail stores in the late 1920s is seen as the first step in the development of a UK food retail market dominated by a small number of food multiples.-History:The business was founded...
into one of premier retail shopping destinations in the United Kingdom. He was invited to sit on the boards of British Match Corporation as deputy chairman, Wilkinson Sword
Wilkinson Sword
Wilkinson Sword is a brand name for companies that make gardening tools and razors. Wilkinson Sword's origins are in the manufacture of swords. The company was founded in London in 1772. The brand is currently owned by Energizer Holdings. Past product lines have included guns, bayonets, and other...
, Bryant and May
Bryant and May
For the Bryant and May series of crime mystery books, see the author Christopher Fowler.Bryant and May was a United Kingdom company created in the mid-nineteenth century specifically to make matches. Their original Bryant and May Factory was located in Bow, London...
, Liebigs and Oxo
Oxo
OXO was the first digital graphical computer game, a version of Tic-tac-toe.It is also the first puzzler game; As seen on Ginuess World Records 2010 Gamer's Edition.OXO Was first released in 1951, That makes it one of the oldest games standing....
among others. He was a Governor of Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. He resigned his Royal Artillery commission as a Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1948.
Family
He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder 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...
(KBE) in 1944.
He married Barbara Haldin in 1922, they had 2 sons (Anthony Royle
Anthony Royle
Anthony Henry Fanshawe Royle, Baron Fanshawe of Richmond KCMG was a British Conservative Party politician and businessman....
, later Baron Fanshawe of Richmond and Timothy Royle
Timothy Royle
Timothy Lancelot Fanshawe Royle was founder and chairman of the Control Risks Group.Born in 1931 he is the son of Sir Lancelot Royle KBE. he was educated at Harrow School and Mons Military Academy...
, founder of the Control Risks Group
Control Risks Group
Control Risks is a global risk and strategic consulting firm specialising in political, security and integrity risk. Control Risks’ aim is to help its clients to understand and manage the risks of operating in complex or hostile environments...
) and a daughter (Penelope Royle, now Oldham). He died in 1978 aged 80.