John Jardine Paterson
Encyclopedia
Sir John Valentine Jardine Paterson (14 February 1920 – 12 March 2000) was a Scottish business man whose career was mostly in India
.
He was Chairman of the family firm, Jardine Henderson of Calcutta (closely related to Jardines
of Hong Kong
), from 1963 to 1967, Chairman of the Indian Jute Mills Association in 1963 and President of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry
in 1966. He joined McLeod Russel PLC in 1967 and was company chairman from 1979 to 1983.
, Dumfriesshire
, in 1920, Jardine Paterson was one of the four sons of Robert Jardine Paterson JP
(1878–1942) of Balgray, near Lockerbie, a former Coldstream Guards
officer, by his marriage to Constance Margaret Steel. The other sons were David (born 1914), Robert Noël (1916–1995), and Arthur James (born 1918). He was educated at Eton
and Jesus College, Cambridge
.
Jardine Paterson was born into the family which had founded the Jardine Matheson company, although his branch of the family controlled Jardine Skinner of Calcutta, the Indian division of Jardines, rather than its main business based in Hong Kong
. Jardine Skinner & Co. had been established in 1844 by David Jardine of Balgray and had become a major force in the tea, jute and rubber trades. His grandfather, James Jardine Paterson, was the son of Robert Paterson by his marriage to Nancy Jardine, daughter and heiress of David Jardine.
On 1 October 1939, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, when he was nineteen, Jardine Paterson received an emergency commission into the Black Watch
and served with distinction. On 23 April 1942, during the war, his father died at the age of 64. He resigned his commission on 17 July 1946 and was granted the honorary rank of Captain.
After leaving the Army, he joined the family firm, by now renamed Jardine Henderson Ltd, of Calcutta, and was a director of the company from 1952 to 1967, Chairman from 1963 to 1967. He was knighted
in 1967. A shrewd business man, he had to deal with the tremendous disruptions to trade caused by the partition of India
in 1947, and during the years which followed he worked to rebuild the flagging jute industry. He was elected Chairman of the Indian Jute Mills Association in 1963 and President of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1966. He then joined McLeod Russel PLC as a director from 1967 to 1984 and served as company chairman from 1979 to 1983, diversifying the firm's business into property and North Sea oil
.
In 1953, Jardine Paterson married Priscilla Mignon, the daughter of Sir Kenneth Nicolson MC
(1891–1964), another Scottish East India Merchant, and they had one son and three daughters.
He was a member of the Oriental Club
and at the time of his death was living in retirement at Norton Bavant
Manor
in Wiltshire
, which had been bought in 1947 by his father-in-law. He died on 12 March 2000.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
He was Chairman of the family firm, Jardine Henderson of Calcutta (closely related to Jardines
Jardine Matheson Holdings
Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited often referred to as Jardines, is a multinational corporation incorporated in Bermuda and based in Hong Kong. While listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Singapore Exchange, the vast majority of Jardines shares are traded in Singapore...
of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
), from 1963 to 1967, Chairman of the Indian Jute Mills Association in 1963 and President of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a chamber of commerce based in West Bengal, India.Established in 1853, it is the oldest such institution in India.The organization has its headquarters at the former Royal Exchange in B. B. D...
in 1966. He joined McLeod Russel PLC in 1967 and was company chairman from 1979 to 1983.
Life
Born at LockerbieLockerbie
Lockerbie is a town in the Dumfries and Galloway region of south-western Scotland. It lies approximately from Glasgow, and from the English border. It had a population of 4,009 at the 2001 census...
, Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The lieutenancy area of Dumfries has similar boundaries.Until 1975 it was a county. Its county town was Dumfries...
, in 1920, Jardine Paterson was one of the four sons of Robert Jardine Paterson JP
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...
(1878–1942) of Balgray, near Lockerbie, a former Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
officer, by his marriage to Constance Margaret Steel. The other sons were David (born 1914), Robert Noël (1916–1995), and Arthur James (born 1918). He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
.
Jardine Paterson was born into the family which had founded the Jardine Matheson company, although his branch of the family controlled Jardine Skinner of Calcutta, the Indian division of Jardines, rather than its main business based in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Jardine Skinner & Co. had been established in 1844 by David Jardine of Balgray and had become a major force in the tea, jute and rubber trades. His grandfather, James Jardine Paterson, was the son of Robert Paterson by his marriage to Nancy Jardine, daughter and heiress of David Jardine.
On 1 October 1939, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, when he was nineteen, Jardine Paterson received an emergency commission into the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
and served with distinction. On 23 April 1942, during the war, his father died at the age of 64. He resigned his commission on 17 July 1946 and was granted the honorary rank of Captain.
After leaving the Army, he joined the family firm, by now renamed Jardine Henderson Ltd, of Calcutta, and was a director of the company from 1952 to 1967, Chairman from 1963 to 1967. 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 1967. A shrewd business man, he had to deal with the tremendous disruptions to trade caused by the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947, and during the years which followed he worked to rebuild the flagging jute industry. He was elected Chairman of the Indian Jute Mills Association in 1963 and President of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1966. He then joined McLeod Russel PLC as a director from 1967 to 1984 and served as company chairman from 1979 to 1983, diversifying the firm's business into property and North Sea oil
North Sea oil
North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid oil and natural gas, produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea.In the oil industry, the term "North Sea" often includes areas such as the Norwegian Sea and the area known as "West of Shetland", "the Atlantic Frontier" or "the...
.
In 1953, Jardine Paterson married Priscilla Mignon, the daughter of Sir Kenneth Nicolson MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1891–1964), another Scottish East India Merchant, and they had one son and three daughters.
He was a member of the Oriental Club
Oriental Club
The Oriental Club in London is a traditional private members' club established in 1824 that now admits both gentlemen and ladies to membership...
and at the time of his death was living in retirement at Norton Bavant
Norton Bavant
Norton Bavant is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England.-Location:The village is southeast of the market town of Warminster, just off the A36 road to Salisbury, and at the edge of Salisbury Plain...
Manor
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, which had been bought in 1947 by his father-in-law. He died on 12 March 2000.
External links
- Jardine Skinner Archives at lib.cam.ac.uk (Cambridge University LibraryCambridge University LibraryThe Cambridge University Library is the centrally-administered library of Cambridge University in England. It comprises five separate libraries:* the University Library main building * the Medical Library...
)