William McEwan Younger
Encyclopedia
Sir William McEwan Younger, 1st Baronet (6 September 1905 – 15 April 1992) was a Scottish brewer and political activist.
His father William Younger was a brother George Younger, 1st Viscount Younger
, and of Robert Younger, Baron Blanesburgh
; his great uncle was William McEwan, a Liberal MP for Edinburgh and the founder of McEwan's Brewery
.
He was educated at Winchester College
and at Balliol College, Oxford
, before joining the firm of McEwan's Brewery
, which later became Scottish Brewers before merging with the Newcastle Brewery Company in 1961 to become Scottish & Newcastle
. Younger was the first chairman and managing director of the new company.
He stood twice as the Unionist Party candidate for the West Lothian
at the 1950 general election
, but it was a safe seat
for Labour and he came a poor second. He was honorary secretary of the Scottish Unionist Association from 1955 to 1964, and was later chairman of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
from 1971 to 1974.
He was made a Baronet
in February 1964, of Fountain Bridge, Edinburgh; the title became extinct on his death. He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant
of the City of Edinburgh in 1984.
His father William Younger was a brother George Younger, 1st Viscount Younger
George Younger, 1st Viscount Younger of Leckie
George Younger, 1st Viscount Younger of Leckie Bt was a British politician.He was educated at Edinburgh Academy. In 1897, he became chairman of George Younger and Son, the family brewing business founded by his great-grandfather, George Younger , of Alloa, Clackmannanshire...
, and of Robert Younger, Baron Blanesburgh
Robert Younger, Baron Blanesburgh
Robert Younger, Baron Blanesburgh GBE, PC, QC was a Scottish barrister and judge.The son of James Younger and Janet McEwan, and younger brother of the 1st Viscount Younger of Leckie, he was educated at Edinburgh Academy and Balliol College, Oxford, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in...
; his great uncle was William McEwan, a Liberal MP for Edinburgh and the founder of McEwan's Brewery
McEwan's Brewery
McEwan's is a brand of ales, with the draught beers brewed at the Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland and the canned and bottled beers brewed at the Eagle Brewery, Bedford, England. It is now owned by Wells & Youngs following the sale of the brands by Heineken in 2011...
.
He was educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, before joining the firm of McEwan's Brewery
McEwan's Brewery
McEwan's is a brand of ales, with the draught beers brewed at the Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland and the canned and bottled beers brewed at the Eagle Brewery, Bedford, England. It is now owned by Wells & Youngs following the sale of the brands by Heineken in 2011...
, which later became Scottish Brewers before merging with the Newcastle Brewery Company in 1961 to become Scottish & Newcastle
Scottish & Newcastle
Scottish & Newcastle plc was a "long alcoholic drinks" company with positions in 15 countries, including UK, France and Russia. It was headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. In the last 20 years, S&N expanded significantly from its home base to become an international business with beer...
. Younger was the first chairman and managing director of the new company.
He stood twice as the Unionist Party candidate for the West Lothian
West Lothian (UK Parliament constituency)
West Lothian was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system....
at the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, but it was a safe seat
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
for Labour and he came a poor second. He was honorary secretary of the Scottish Unionist Association from 1955 to 1964, and was later chairman of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party is the part of the British Conservative Party that operates in Scotland. Like the UK party, it has a centre-right political philosophy which promotes conservatism and strong British Unionism...
from 1971 to 1974.
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...
in February 1964, of Fountain Bridge, Edinburgh; the title became extinct on his death. He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of the City of Edinburgh in 1984.