Sir Henry King, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Seymour King, 1st Baronet KCIE
(4 January 1852 - 14 Nov 1933) was an English banker, mountaineer and Conservative
politician.
King was born at Brighton, the son of Henry Samuel King. He was educated at Charterhouse School
and Balliol College, Oxford
, where he won an oratory gold medal. He joined his father in the banking business of Henry S. King & Co. This had been established in 1868, when his father Henry Samuel King took over the banking and India agency work of Smith Elder & Co, booksellers, stationers, East India agents, shippers, and bankers. When his father died in 1878 King became senior partner. He expanded the business which was based on Bombay and Calcutta, to Port Said, Delhi and Simla. He was a well-known banker in London, Bombay and
Calcutta. One distinction of the bank was the employment of women as typists, as early as 1887, something which most other banks did not do until the First World War. King also acquired two Indian newspapers - the 'Overland Mail' and the 'Homeward Mail,' which were founded by John William Kaye
, the historian of the Indian Mutiny. King's brother in law Edward Jenkins, a former MP for Dundee
, became editor of these in 1886.
King was an adventurous mountaineer. He was the first to reach the summits of Mont Maudit
with William Edward Davidson and guides Johann Jaun d. J. and Johann von Bergen on 12 September 1878, and Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey
(Pointe Güssfeldt) with guides Emile Rey, Ambros Supersaxo and Aloys Anthamatten on 31 July 1885.
He lived in the Manor House, Chigwell, Essex, England. In 1885 King was elected Member of Parliament
for Kingston upon Hull Central
. Having previously been a Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
(C.I.E.), he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
on 15 August 1892. King was the first Mayor of Kensington in 1904 and provided a large interest free loan for the purchase of slum properties in North Kensington so that they could be rebuilt and refurbished. He retained his parliamentary seat until December 1910, when he was unseated on petition on 1 June 1911.
King became a director of Lloyds Bank
in 1909. After the First World War, he arranged an amalgamation with Messrs Cox & Co, a rival bank and Indian agency. Lloyds absorbed the banking arm of the merged company in February 1923, resulting in the foundation of the Eastern Department of Lloyds with sixteen main branches in India and Burma. The travel side of the business continued as Cox & Kings
. King's leisure interests extended to sailing and yachting. King was chairman of the Income Tax Commissioners for the City of London and in recognition of his services was created a Baronet
in the 1932 King's Birthday Honours. He was also a member of the Commission of Lieutenancy for the City of London
.
Nurses' Endowment Fund, which raised the largest sum contributed by any borough in London, except the city, for that purpose. She was President of the Primrose League at Hull. She accompanied her husband in mountaineering expeditions in Switzerland. She was a keen yachtswoman, who regularly sailed with her husband in their yacht `Glory`. The couple lived at 25 Cornwall Gardens, South Kensington, London, England.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(4 January 1852 - 14 Nov 1933) was an English banker, mountaineer and 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...
politician.
King was born at Brighton, the son of Henry Samuel King. He was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and 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....
, where he won an oratory gold medal. He joined his father in the banking business of Henry S. King & Co. This had been established in 1868, when his father Henry Samuel King took over the banking and India agency work of Smith Elder & Co, booksellers, stationers, East India agents, shippers, and bankers. When his father died in 1878 King became senior partner. He expanded the business which was based on Bombay and Calcutta, to Port Said, Delhi and Simla. He was a well-known banker in London, Bombay and
Calcutta. One distinction of the bank was the employment of women as typists, as early as 1887, something which most other banks did not do until the First World War. King also acquired two Indian newspapers - the 'Overland Mail' and the 'Homeward Mail,' which were founded by John William Kaye
John William Kaye
Sir John William Kaye was a British military historian.The son of Charles Kaye, a solicitor, he was educated at Eton College and at the Royal Military College, Addiscombe. From 1832 to 1841 he was an officer in the Bengal Artillery, afterwards spending some years in literary pursuits both in...
, the historian of the Indian Mutiny. King's brother in law Edward Jenkins, a former MP for Dundee
Dundee (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundee was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1950, when it was split into Dundee East and Dundee West....
, became editor of these in 1886.
Mont Maudit
Mont Maudit is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in France and Italy. Until the end of the 18th century, Mont Blanc and its satellite peaks were collectively known in French as the Montagne Maudite....
with William Edward Davidson and guides Johann Jaun d. J. and Johann von Bergen on 12 September 1878, and Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey
Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey
The Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey is a mountain of the Mont Blanc massif in Italy. It is considered the most difficult and serious of the alpine 4000-m mountains.There are three tops to the mountain:*Pointe Güssfeldt...
(Pointe Güssfeldt) with guides Emile Rey, Ambros Supersaxo and Aloys Anthamatten on 31 July 1885.
He lived in the Manor House, Chigwell, Essex, England. In 1885 King was elected Member of Parliament
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,...
for Kingston upon Hull Central
Kingston upon Hull Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull Central was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Kingston upon Hull in East Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. Having previously been a Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(C.I.E.), he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
on 15 August 1892. King was the first Mayor of Kensington in 1904 and provided a large interest free loan for the purchase of slum properties in North Kensington so that they could be rebuilt and refurbished. He retained his parliamentary seat until December 1910, when he was unseated on petition on 1 June 1911.
King became a director of Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank Plc was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1765 until its merger into Lloyds TSB in 1995; it remains a registered company but is currently dormant. It expanded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and took over a number of smaller banking companies...
in 1909. After the First World War, he arranged an amalgamation with Messrs Cox & Co, a rival bank and Indian agency. Lloyds absorbed the banking arm of the merged company in February 1923, resulting in the foundation of the Eastern Department of Lloyds with sixteen main branches in India and Burma. The travel side of the business continued as Cox & Kings
Cox & Kings
Cox & Kings is the longest established travel company in the world, its history stretching back to 1758 when Richard Cox was appointed as regimental agent to the Foot Guards. Cox & Kings is now an independent tour company with offices in the United Kingdom, India, the United States and Japan...
. King's leisure interests extended to sailing and yachting. King was chairman of the Income Tax Commissioners for the City of London and in recognition of his services was created a Baronet
King Baronets
There have been six Baronetcies created for persons with the surname King, one in the Baronetage of Ireland, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and four in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Three of the creations are extant as of 2007....
in the 1932 King's Birthday Honours. He was also a member of the Commission of Lieutenancy for the City of London
Lord Lieutenant of the City of London
The City of London is unique in that the post of Lord-Lieutenant is held in commission. The Lord Mayor of the City of London is the head of the Commission of Lieutenancy....
.
Family
Henry Seymour King married Julia Mary Jenkins in Montreal, October 21, 1875. She was the daughter of Rev. John Jenkins, D.D., of Montreal, and his wife, Harriette, daughter of the late George Shepstone, Esquire, of Clifton, England. Lady King was Mayoress, for two years, of the Royal borough of Kensington. During this period, she was president of the Queen's JubileeNurses' Endowment Fund, which raised the largest sum contributed by any borough in London, except the city, for that purpose. She was President of the Primrose League at Hull. She accompanied her husband in mountaineering expeditions in Switzerland. She was a keen yachtswoman, who regularly sailed with her husband in their yacht `Glory`. The couple lived at 25 Cornwall Gardens, South Kensington, London, England.