Jonathan Guinness, 3rd Baron Moyne
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Bryan Guinness, 3rd Baron Moyne (born 16 March 1930) is a British peer and businessman. A member of the Guinness family
, he is the elder of the two sons of Bryan Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne
and his first wife Diana Mitford
(later Lady Mosley), and until his retirement was a merchant banker for Messrs Leopold Joseph.
and the University of Oxford
. He worked as a journalist and then as a merchant banker. From 1970 to 1974 he was a Leicestershire County Councillor.
, including the Lincoln
by-election of 1973
, notable for the election of Dick Taverne. Here he gained the nickname "Old Razor Blades" when he was quoted as saying murder
ers should have razor blades left in their cells to enable them to "do the decent thing." He later claimed that what he actually said was that convicted criminals should have razor blades in their cells, allowing them to be able to shave and stay "decent" i.e. clean shaven.
, serving on several of its committees. He was a member of the Club's Executive Council in 1971, when he became Chairman of their 'Action Fund', and elected National Chairman on 5 June 1972, fighting off challenges from Richard Body MP
, and Timothy Stroud. The Guardian
and The Times
referred to his election as "a right-wing victory". At the Club's Annual General Meeting in April 1973 Guinness retained the Chairmanship for another year, defeating George Kennedy Young
. In mid-1974 he was invited to address Conservative students at Portsmouth Polytechnic
, but was prevented from doing so by protesters.
On 10 October 1989, at the Conservative Party Conference, he chaired a controversial fringe meeting organized by the Young Monday Club, advertised as The End of the English? - Immigration and Repatriation. The other speakers were MPs Tim Janman
and Nicholas Budgen
.
As Chairman of the Club's Race Relations & Immigration Committee, he also wrote the same month to all Club members; "There has been a lot of ill-thought out agitation following events in China
, urging the government to amend the British Nationality Act
so as to give the right of UK residence to more than three million people from Hong Kong
who hold British passports. At the time of writing the government has stayed firm on this, but it is under pressure. If you have not already done so, please write to your M.P., your local and national newspapers, or the Prime Minister expressing support for the government's stand. Remember, a passport is not a residence permit, but a travel document; and think of the sheer physical burden of housing and accommodating a sudden influx of this size."
He was also Club Vice-Chairman until late 1990 when he was replaced by Andrew Hunter
, MP
.
financial scandal. The case concerns a now defunct Swedish investment company, Trustor, of which Lord Moyne was made a figurehead director. It was alleged that Guinness was involved in the disappearance of £50,000,000 from Trustor's accounts, £35,000,000 of which has never been located. Guinness maintained that he was innocent of any wrongdoing, claiming he has been "stitched up". During the proceedings, Swedish authorities were successful in obtaining a freezing order over what little assets he had left. He was found innocent by the Swedish Court.
movement in China since it was banned there in 1999, as reported in Hansard
.
.
He also had a mistress, Susan ('Shoe') Taylor (1944–2003), and a further three children by her. To avert a scandal Guinness published Shoe - The Odyssey of a Sixties Survivor in 1989. After which, The Sun
newspaper (6 July 1989) ran a double-page article with pictures entitled Always a Mistress - Never the Bride.
, both had letters published in the same edition of The Daily Telegraph
(16 August 2003) attacking the writer Andrew Roberts
over his criticism in the same newspaper on the 13th inst., of Jonathan's mother, Diana Mitford
, following the latter's death.
Guinness family
The Guinness family is an extensive aristocratic Irish Protestant family noted for their accomplishments in brewing, banking, politics and religious ministry...
, he is the elder of the two sons of Bryan Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne
Bryan Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne
Bryan Walter Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne , was an heir to part of the Guinness family brewing fortune, lawyer, poet and novelist...
and his first wife Diana Mitford
Diana Mitford
Diana Mitford, Lady Mosley , was one of Britain's noted Mitford sisters. She was married first to Bryan Walter Guinness, heir to the barony of Moyne, and secondly to Sir Oswald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, leader of the British Union of Fascists; her second marriage, in 1936, took place at the...
(later Lady Mosley), and until his retirement was a merchant banker for Messrs Leopold Joseph.
Early life
Jonathan Guinness was educated at Eton CollegeEton 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 the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He worked as a journalist and then as a merchant banker. From 1970 to 1974 he was a Leicestershire County Councillor.
Conservative Party
Lord Moyne twice stood as Parliamentary Candidate for the Conservative PartyConservative 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...
, including the Lincoln
Lincoln (UK Parliament constituency)
Lincoln is a borough 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....
by-election of 1973
Lincoln by-election, 1973
The Lincoln by-election of 1 March 1973 saw the re-election of Dick Taverne as Member of Parliament for Lincoln as a Democratic Labour representative, after Taverne's pro-Common Market views saw him repudiated by the Lincoln Constituency Labour Party...
, notable for the election of Dick Taverne. Here he gained the nickname "Old Razor Blades" when he was quoted as saying murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ers should have razor blades left in their cells to enable them to "do the decent thing." He later claimed that what he actually said was that convicted criminals should have razor blades in their cells, allowing them to be able to shave and stay "decent" i.e. clean shaven.
Monday Club
He was a long-standing and early member of the Conservative Monday ClubConservative Monday Club
The Conservative Monday Club is a British pressure group "on the right-wing" of the Conservative Party.-Overview:...
, serving on several of its committees. He was a member of the Club's Executive Council in 1971, when he became Chairman of their 'Action Fund', and elected National Chairman on 5 June 1972, fighting off challenges from Richard Body MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, and Timothy Stroud. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
referred to his election as "a right-wing victory". At the Club's Annual General Meeting in April 1973 Guinness retained the Chairmanship for another year, defeating George Kennedy Young
George Kennedy Young
George Kennedy Young, CB, MBE, M.A. was a deputy director of MI6, and later involved in British right-wing politics. He was also a merchant banker....
. In mid-1974 he was invited to address Conservative students at Portsmouth Polytechnic
University of Portsmouth
The University of Portsmouth is a university in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The University was ranked 60th out of 122 in The Sunday Times University Guide...
, but was prevented from doing so by protesters.
On 10 October 1989, at the Conservative Party Conference, he chaired a controversial fringe meeting organized by the Young Monday Club, advertised as The End of the English? - Immigration and Repatriation. The other speakers were MPs Tim Janman
Tim Janman
Timothy Simon Janman is a former Conservative Party politician in England. He was Member of Parliament for Thurrock in Essex from 1987 to 1992, when he lost to the Labour Party candidate.-Early years:...
and Nicholas Budgen
Nicholas Budgen
Nicholas William Budgen , often called Nick Budgen, was a British Conservative Party politician.Named after St...
.
As Chairman of the Club's Race Relations & Immigration Committee, he also wrote the same month to all Club members; "There has been a lot of ill-thought out agitation following events in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, urging the government to amend the British Nationality Act
British Nationality Act 1981
The British Nationality Act 1981 was an Act of Parliament passed by the British Parliament concerning British nationality. It has been the basis of British nationality law since 1 January 1983.-History:...
so as to give the right of UK residence to more than three million people from 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...
who hold British passports. At the time of writing the government has stayed firm on this, but it is under pressure. If you have not already done so, please write to your M.P., your local and national newspapers, or the Prime Minister expressing support for the government's stand. Remember, a passport is not a residence permit, but a travel document; and think of the sheer physical burden of housing and accommodating a sudden influx of this size."
He was also Club Vice-Chairman until late 1990 when he was replaced by Andrew Hunter
Andrew Hunter (British politician)
Andrew Robert Frederick Ebenezer Hunter is a United Kingdom politician and a member of the Orange Order. He was Member of Parliament for Basingstoke from 1983 until 2005...
, MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
Trustor
Lord Moyne was accused of involvement in a SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
financial scandal. The case concerns a now defunct Swedish investment company, Trustor, of which Lord Moyne was made a figurehead director. It was alleged that Guinness was involved in the disappearance of £50,000,000 from Trustor's accounts, £35,000,000 of which has never been located. Guinness maintained that he was innocent of any wrongdoing, claiming he has been "stitched up". During the proceedings, Swedish authorities were successful in obtaining a freezing order over what little assets he had left. He was found innocent by the Swedish Court.
Support for Falun Gong
Lord Moyne has spoken in support of the Falun GongFalun Gong
Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline first introduced in China in 1992 by its founder, Li Hongzhi, through public lectures. It combines the practice of meditation and slow-moving qigong exercises with the moral philosophy...
movement in China since it was banned there in 1999, as reported in Hansard
Hansard
Hansard is the name of the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, an early printer and publisher of these transcripts.-Origins:...
.
Director of Guinness plc
Lord Moyne was a non-executive director from 1960 to 1988 of the company set up by his family. His book Requiem for a family business gives an uninvolved insider's account of the corporate developments leading to the Guinness share-trading fraudGuinness share-trading fraud
The Guinness share-trading fraud was a famous British business scandal of the 1980s. It involved an attempt to manipulate the stock market on a massive scale to inflate the price of Guinness shares and thereby assist a £2.7 billion take-over bid for the Scottish drinks company Distillers...
.
Private life
Lord Moyne has been twice married, with children:- 1) 1951 (divorced 1963) Ingrid Wyndham (later Lady KelvedonPaul ChannonHenry Paul Guinness Channon, Baron Kelvedon, PC , was Conservative MP for Southend West for 38 years, from 1959 until 1997...
) who died in 2009 and by whom he had two sons and a daughter. - 2) 1964 Suzanne Lisney, later known as Sue, Lady Moyne (d. 2005 of lung cancer), by whom he had a third son and a second daughter.
He also had a mistress, Susan ('Shoe') Taylor (1944–2003), and a further three children by her. To avert a scandal Guinness published Shoe - The Odyssey of a Sixties Survivor in 1989. After which, The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper (6 July 1989) ran a double-page article with pictures entitled Always a Mistress - Never the Bride.
Children
Lord Moyne has the following children:- By Ingrid:
- Hon. Catherine Ingrid Guinness (b. 1 June 1952), who married 1stly 1983 (divorced 1988) James Donald Charteris, Lord NeidpathJames Charteris, 13th Earl of WemyssJames Donald Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss and 9th Earl of March, is a member of the Scottish peerage, the 13th Earl of Wemyss and 9th Earl of March.Neidpath was educated first at Eton....
(b. 1948), only surviving son and heir of the Earl of Wemyss and March, by whom she has issue 1 son and 1 daughter. She married 2ndly 1990 Robert Fleetwood Hesketh (d. November 2004) by whom she has issue three children, including twin daughters. She worked as PAPersonal assistantA personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
to Andy WarholAndy WarholAndrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
. - Hon. Jasper Jonathan Richard Guinness (9 March 1954-7 May 2011), who was married with two daughters.
- Hon. Valentine Guy Bryan Guinness (b. 9 March 1959), who is married to handbag designer Lulu GuinnessLulu GuinnessLucinda "Lulu" Jane Guinness, OBE is a well-known British accessories fashion designer.Lulu Guinness OBE famous for her unique and quintessentially British handbags and accessories, launched her company in 1989. Instant praise in the fashion media paved the way for Lulu Guinness shops in London,...
, née Lucinda Rivett-Carnac, and has issue, two daughters.- By Suzanne:
- Hon. Sebastian Walter Denis Guinness (b. 1964) who has been twice married, with no issue.
- Hon. Daphne Suzannah Diana GuinnessDaphne GuinnessThe Honourable Daphne Diana Joan Suzannah Guinness is an artist of Irish, English, and French descent and an heiress of the Guinness family...
(b. 1967), socialite, former wife of Spyros NiarchosStavros NiarchosStavros Spyros Niarchos was a Greek shipping tycoon, sometimes known as "The Golden Greek." In 1952, Stavros Niarchos built the first supertankers capable of transporting large quantities of oil, and subsequently earned millions of dollars as global demand for his ships increased.- Early life :He...
(b. 1957), by whom she had three children.- By Susan Taylor
- Diana Guinness (b. 1981)
- Aster Guinness (b. 1984)
- Thomas Guinness-Taylor (b.1986)
Defence of mother
Moyne and his daughter, DaphneDaphne Guinness
The Honourable Daphne Diana Joan Suzannah Guinness is an artist of Irish, English, and French descent and an heiress of the Guinness family...
, both had letters published in the same edition of The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
(16 August 2003) attacking the writer Andrew Roberts
Andrew Roberts
Andrew Roberts is an English historian and journalist.-Background:Roberts was born in London, England, the son of Simon from Cobham, Surrey, and Katie Roberts...
over his criticism in the same newspaper on the 13th inst., of Jonathan's mother, Diana Mitford
Diana Mitford
Diana Mitford, Lady Mosley , was one of Britain's noted Mitford sisters. She was married first to Bryan Walter Guinness, heir to the barony of Moyne, and secondly to Sir Oswald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, leader of the British Union of Fascists; her second marriage, in 1936, took place at the...
, following the latter's death.