George Touche
Encyclopedia
Sir George Alexander Touche, 1st Baronet , born George Alexander Touch (he added the final "e" in 1906 because people continually mispronounced his name), was a British
accountant
and politician. He founded one of the firms which amalgamated to create Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
.
Touche was born in Edinburgh
, the son of a banker. He was educated at the Bonnington Academy, the Edinburgh Institute, and the University of Edinburgh
and was indentured to a chartered accountant
in 1878. In 1883 he was admitted to the Society of Accountants in Edinburgh and immediately left for London
, joining the firm of Broads, Patterson & May. In 1889 he was appointed first secretary of the Industrial and General Trust, later becoming manager, director in 1898, and chairman in 1908. He also became director and chairman of many other companies. In 1899 he founded his own practice, George A. Touch & Co.
In 1910 he was elected Conservative
Member of Parliament
for North Islington
, but retired due to ill-health in 1918.
He was knighted
in 1917 and created a baronet
for his political services in the 1920 Birthday Honours.
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...
accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
and politician. He founded one of the firms which amalgamated to create Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited , commonly referred to as Deloitte, is one of the Big Four accountancy firms along with PricewaterhouseCoopers , Ernst & Young, and KPMG....
.
Touche was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the son of a banker. He was educated at the Bonnington Academy, the Edinburgh Institute, and the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and was indentured to a chartered accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
in 1878. In 1883 he was admitted to the Society of Accountants in Edinburgh and immediately left for 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...
, joining the firm of Broads, Patterson & May. In 1889 he was appointed first secretary of the Industrial and General Trust, later becoming manager, director in 1898, and chairman in 1908. He also became director and chairman of many other companies. In 1899 he founded his own practice, George A. Touch & Co.
In 1910 he was elected Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
for North Islington
Islington North (UK Parliament constituency)
Islington North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election...
, but retired due to ill-health in 1918.
He was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1917 and created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
for his political services in the 1920 Birthday Honours.