Keswick family
Encyclopedia
The Keswick family are a business dynasty of Scottish
origin associated with the Far East
since 1855 and in particular the conglomerate Jardine Matheson.
As tai-pan
s of Jardine Matheson & Co, the Keswick family have at some time been closely associated with the ownership or management of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
, the Indo-China Steam Navigation Company Ltd.
, the Canton Insurance Office Ltd, (now the HSBC Insurance
Co), The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company Limited, Star Ferry
, Hong Kong Tramway, the Hong Kong Land Investment and Agency Co Ltd, and the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Co Ltd
.
. His grandmother, Jean Jardine Johnstone was an older sister of Dr. William Jardine
, the founder of Jardine's. His father Thomas Keswick had married Margaret Johnstone, Jardine's niece and daughter of Jean, and entered the Jardine business. The company operated as opium traders and had a major influence in the First
and Second Opium War
s although the company stopped this trading in 1870 to pursue a broad range of other trading interests including shipping, railways, textiles and property development.
William arrived in China and Hong Kong
in 1855, the first of five generations of the Keswick family to be associated with Jardine's. He established a Jardine Matheson office in Yokohama, Japan in 1859. He returned to Hong Kong to become a partner of the firm in 1862. He became managing partner (Taipan) from 1874 to 1886. He left Hong Kong in 1886 to work with Matheson & Co. in London
as a senior director responsible only to Sir Robert Jardine (1825-1905), a son of David Jardine, William Jardine's older brother and the head of Matheson's in London.
He spent three spells on the Legislative
and Executive Councils of Hong Kong between 1868 and 1887.
The first gap in the long line of continuous association with Hong Kong occurred when he returned home to represent Hong Kong at the coronation of King George V
in 1911. He did return to Hong Kong and the Far East in his yacht "Cutty Sark
" in 1922. He remained a Director of Jardines until his death in 1928.
were Henry's sons "Tony" and John Keswick. As well as being directors of Jardines they served as members of the Legislative and Executive Councils in Hong Kong and of the Council of the International Settlement in Shanghai. They were also Chairmen of the Shanghai Municipal Council and Chamber of Commerce at various times. When William and his father Henry Keswick returned to the United Kingdom they both served as Members of Parliament with responsibility for Far Eastern interests.
. He was shot in the arm by a Japanese at a Municipal Election Meeting held on the Shanghai Racecourse in 1941. The company's Chinese business interests were looted by occupying Japanese forces.
During World War II, he, along with his brother John, served as senior intelligence operatives with the British Special Operations Executive
(SOE).
After the war he took over as Managing Director of Matheson & Co. Ltd, in London. Amongst his other business activities, he was Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company
, Director of the Bank of England
, Vice-Chairman of Alliance Assurance, and Director of British Petroleum
.
He was a friend of the sculptor Henry Moore
and placed several statues in particularly scenic spots on the hillsides of the Keswick estate.
's staff.
John Keswick returned to Shanghai after the war to organize in the rebuilding of Jardine's office and to reestablish the firm's trading links throughout China and Asia. In 1949, after the communist party's takeover of China. Jardine's head office was moved to Hong Kong. Despite attempting to work with the communists business conditions became worse. Operations were closed in 1954 with the effective nationalisation of the company's interests and a $20m loss.
John Keswick became a member of the Hong Kong Executive Council in 1952. He retired as Tai-pan in 1953 and joined Matheson & Co in 1956. He returned temporarily as non-executive Chairman of Jardine Matheson in Hong Kong in 1970 to 1972. While in England he and his brother financed the buy-out and then public flotation of Jardine Matheson.
, born 1938 as Henry Neville Lindley Keswick, joined Jardine's in 1961 and was assigned to the firm's offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. He was made a Director in 1967, Senior Managing Director in 1970 and Chairman in 1972. He retired as Senior Managing Director and Chairman in 1975. He returned to London and is the current chairman of Jardine Matheson Holdings.
, Tony Keswick's second son who was born in 1940, was not associated with Jardine Matheson but instead with the London merchant bank, Hambros.
, born 1942, also joined the firm in 1962 and a Director in 1972 but left Jardine's in 1977 to join his brother at Matheson & Co. He returned to join Jardine's again in 1983 as Senior Managing Director and then Chairman after his father managed to remove the former managing director David Newbigging. Simon Keswick started the restructuring of the company becoming more international rather than tied to Hong Kong.
Simon Keswick retired as Tai-pan in 1988 after seeing the firm's holding office redomiciled to Bermuda and restructuring the firm's senior management organization.
Mr. Weatherall joined the Jardine Group in 1976 and worked in a number of senior executive positions in Hong Kong, the USA, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Korea and the Philippines. Prior to becoming "Taipan", Mr. Weatherall was chief executive officer of Hongkong Land.
, he held positions within Group Treasury and Jardine Pacific. Mr Keswick was appointed group strategy director of Jardine Cycle & Carriage in 2003, and was group managing director from 2005 to 2007. He is also a director of Jardine Matheson Limited.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
origin associated with the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
since 1855 and in particular the conglomerate Jardine Matheson.
As tai-pan
Tai-Pan
The term tai-pan was originally used to describe a foreign businessman in China or Hong Kong in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Cantonese colloquialism is now used in a more general sense for business executives of any origin...
s of Jardine Matheson & Co, the Keswick family have at some time been closely associated with the ownership or management of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited is a prominent bank established and based in Hong Kong since 1865 when Hong Kong was a colony of the British Empire. It is the founding member of the HSBC Group and since 1990 is now a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc...
, the Indo-China Steam Navigation Company Ltd.
Indo-China Steam Navigation Company Ltd.
The Indo-China Steam Navigation Company Ltd. , was established in 1873 as a subsidiary of Hong Kong based Jardine, Matheson & Co., one of the largest trading companies in the Far East at that time.-Early History:...
, the Canton Insurance Office Ltd, (now the HSBC Insurance
HSBC Insurance
HSBC Insurance Holdings Limited , operating as HSBC Insurance , is an insurance company based in Hong Kong...
Co), The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company Limited, Star Ferry
Star Ferry
The Star Ferry, or The "Star" Ferry Company, is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon...
, Hong Kong Tramway, the Hong Kong Land Investment and Agency Co Ltd, and the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Co Ltd
Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock
Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock was a Hong Kong dockyard once among the largest dockyards in Asia. Founded in 1863 by Douglas Lapraik and Thomas Sutherland, the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company...
.
The Hon. William Keswick (1834-1912)
William Keswick, founder of the dynasty, was born in 1834, in Dumfriesshire in the Scottish LowlandsScottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
. His grandmother, Jean Jardine Johnstone was an older sister of Dr. William Jardine
William Jardine (surgeon)
William Jardine was a Scottish physician and merchant. He co-founded the Hong Kong conglomerate Jardine, Matheson and Company. From 1841 to 1843, he was Member of Parliament for Ashburton as a Whig....
, the founder of Jardine's. His father Thomas Keswick had married Margaret Johnstone, Jardine's niece and daughter of Jean, and entered the Jardine business. The company operated as opium traders and had a major influence in the First
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
and Second Opium War
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
s although the company stopped this trading in 1870 to pursue a broad range of other trading interests including shipping, railways, textiles and property development.
William arrived in China and 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...
in 1855, the first of five generations of the Keswick family to be associated with Jardine's. He established a Jardine Matheson office in Yokohama, Japan in 1859. He returned to Hong Kong to become a partner of the firm in 1862. He became managing partner (Taipan) from 1874 to 1886. He left Hong Kong in 1886 to work with Matheson & Co. in 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...
as a senior director responsible only to Sir Robert Jardine (1825-1905), a son of David Jardine, William Jardine's older brother and the head of Matheson's in London.
He spent three spells on the Legislative
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
and Executive Councils of Hong Kong between 1868 and 1887.
The Hon. James Johnstone Keswick (1845-1914)
J.J. Keswick, younger brother of William, arrived in the Far East in 1870 and remained for 26 years, mostly based in Hong Kong. Nicknamed, "James the bloody polite", a tribute to his personality. Like his brother, he was a Member of the Legislative Council and of the Chamber of Commerce in five spells between 1890 to 1900. He was taipan of Jardine, Matheson from the 1890s to the turn of the century. He founded Hongkong Land together with close associate Sir Paul Chater, a development company established in 1889 which remained closely associated with Jardine Matheson.J.J.J. Keswick (1842-1904)
Another brother was based in Calcutta, where he headed Jardine Skinner & Co , with a fellow Scot as his business partner John (Skinner) Stewart.Henry Keswick (1870-1928)
Son of William Keswick, Henry Keswick arrived in Hong Kong in 1895 the year before his Uncle James left. He had previously spent two years in the New York office of Jardine's.The first gap in the long line of continuous association with Hong Kong occurred when he returned home to represent Hong Kong at the coronation of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in 1911. He did return to Hong Kong and the Far East in his yacht "Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark (yacht)
Not to be confused with the famous tea clipper, the private steam yacht Cutty Sark was built, from plates originally destined for an S class destroyer, by Yarrow and Co Ltd of Scotstoun for Major Henry Keswick of Jardine’s. She was launched on 18 March 1920.She had a length of ; beam of and...
" in 1922. He remained a Director of Jardines until his death in 1928.
3rd Generation
The next family members to be associated with Hong Kong and ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
were Henry's sons "Tony" and John Keswick. As well as being directors of Jardines they served as members of the Legislative and Executive Councils in Hong Kong and of the Council of the International Settlement in Shanghai. They were also Chairmen of the Shanghai Municipal Council and Chamber of Commerce at various times. When William and his father Henry Keswick returned to the United Kingdom they both served as Members of Parliament with responsibility for Far Eastern interests.
Sir William Johnstone "Tony" Keswick (1903-1990)
"Tony" Keswick arrived in the far east in 1926. He and his brother remained Directors of the firm after they had left the Far East. He was in charge of the Shanghai office (at that time the Head Office in the Far East) from 1935 until 1941. He was also Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Council during the crises leading to the Pacific WarPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. He was shot in the arm by a Japanese at a Municipal Election Meeting held on the Shanghai Racecourse in 1941. The company's Chinese business interests were looted by occupying Japanese forces.
During World War II, he, along with his brother John, served as senior intelligence operatives with the British Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
(SOE).
After the war he took over as Managing Director of Matheson & Co. Ltd, in London. Amongst his other business activities, he was Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
, Director of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
, Vice-Chairman of Alliance Assurance, and Director of British Petroleum
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
.
He was a friend of the sculptor Henry Moore
Henry Moore
Henry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art....
and placed several statues in particularly scenic spots on the hillsides of the Keswick estate.
The Hon. Sir John "The Younger" Keswick (1906-1982)
John followed his brother to the far east in 1929, and replaced him in Shanghai after the shooting incident. He fled the city when the Japanese took the city. He escaped to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and served during the war with Admiral Lord Louis MountbattenLouis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
's staff.
John Keswick returned to Shanghai after the war to organize in the rebuilding of Jardine's office and to reestablish the firm's trading links throughout China and Asia. In 1949, after the communist party's takeover of China. Jardine's head office was moved to Hong Kong. Despite attempting to work with the communists business conditions became worse. Operations were closed in 1954 with the effective nationalisation of the company's interests and a $20m loss.
John Keswick became a member of the Hong Kong Executive Council in 1952. He retired as Tai-pan in 1953 and joined Matheson & Co in 1956. He returned temporarily as non-executive Chairman of Jardine Matheson in Hong Kong in 1970 to 1972. While in England he and his brother financed the buy-out and then public flotation of Jardine Matheson.
Sir Henry Keswick
Tony Keswick's son, Young HenryHenry Keswick
Sir Henry Neville Lindley Keswick is a Scottish businessman. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge.Henry married Tessa, Lady Reay, younger daughter of the late Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat in 1985...
, born 1938 as Henry Neville Lindley Keswick, joined Jardine's in 1961 and was assigned to the firm's offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. He was made a Director in 1967, Senior Managing Director in 1970 and Chairman in 1972. He retired as Senior Managing Director and Chairman in 1975. He returned to London and is the current chairman of Jardine Matheson Holdings.
Sir Chippendale Keswick
Sir Chips KeswickChips Keswick
Sir John Chippendale "Chips" Lindley Keswick is a British businessman and a member of the Keswick family which control Hong Kong company Jardine Matheson, founded by William Jardine.-Career:...
, Tony Keswick's second son who was born in 1940, was not associated with Jardine Matheson but instead with the London merchant bank, Hambros.
Simon Keswick
Young Henry's youngest brother, Simon KeswickSimon Keswick
Simon Lindley Keswick is a Scottish businessman and the younger brother of Sir Chips Keswick and Sir Henry Keswick.He is a director of Matheson & Co Ltd , Fleming Mercantile Investment Trust, Hanson plc, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc. and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group...
, born 1942, also joined the firm in 1962 and a Director in 1972 but left Jardine's in 1977 to join his brother at Matheson & Co. He returned to join Jardine's again in 1983 as Senior Managing Director and then Chairman after his father managed to remove the former managing director David Newbigging. Simon Keswick started the restructuring of the company becoming more international rather than tied to Hong Kong.
Simon Keswick retired as Tai-pan in 1988 after seeing the firm's holding office redomiciled to Bermuda and restructuring the firm's senior management organization.
5th Generation
The family still owns considerable holdings in the company with a 5th generation actively working within the company.Percy Weatherall
Percy Weatherall (born 1957) or Edward Percy Keswick Weatherall, is a great grandson of Henry Keswick (1870-1928). He was Managing Director of the Jardine Matheson Group from 2000 to 31 March 2006 having joined the board in 1999.Mr. Weatherall joined the Jardine Group in 1976 and worked in a number of senior executive positions in Hong Kong, the USA, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Korea and the Philippines. Prior to becoming "Taipan", Mr. Weatherall was chief executive officer of Hongkong Land.
Ben Keswick
Ben Keswick, son of Simon, born 1972, joined the Board in April 2007. He is group managing director of Jardine Cycle & Carriage. He joined the Group in 1998 and held positions in Dairy Farm and Hongkong Land before taking an MBA at INSEAD. In 2003, he was appointed finance director of Jardine Pacific, and was its chief executive officer from 2005 to 2007. Ben Keswick is a director of Jardine Matheson Limited, Cycle & Carriage Bintang and MCL Land; and a commissioner of Astra and United Tractors.Adam Keswick
Adam Keswick, born 1973, son of Chips, joined the Board in April 2007. He is chief executive of Jardine Pacific and of Jardine Motors. After joining the Group in 2001 from N M Rothschild & SonsN M Rothschild & Sons
N M Rothschild & Sons is a private investment banking company, belonging to the Rothschild family...
, he held positions within Group Treasury and Jardine Pacific. Mr Keswick was appointed group strategy director of Jardine Cycle & Carriage in 2003, and was group managing director from 2005 to 2007. He is also a director of Jardine Matheson Limited.
Sources
- William Keswick, 1835-1912: Jardine's Pioneer in Japan by J. E. Hoare, Chapter 10, Britain & Japan: Biographical Portraits ISBN 1-903350-14-X
- The Thistle and the Jade: A Celebration of 175 Years of Jardine, Matheson & Co. by Maggie Keswick
- Jardine Matheson Archives from Cambridge University
External links
- http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/specials/rich_list/article3759058.ecePosition 98th on the Sunday Times Rich List 2008Sunday Times Rich List 2008The Sunday Times Rich List 2008 was published on 27 April 2008.Since 1989 the UK national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times has published an annual magazine supplement to the newspaper called the Sunday Times Rich List...
] - Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited Business Information, Profile, and History