Sir Rowland Whitehead, 5th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Rowland John Rathbone Whitehead, 5th Baronet (24 June 1930 – 28 July 2007) was a British
baronet
and merchant banker. In later life, he was heavily engaged with many charities
.
. He was educated at Radley College
, and read natural sciences at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
. He worked for Gillette and then became a merchant banker in the City of London
, working at Brown, Shipley & Co.
and Rothschilds
.
Inspired by the work of Norbert Wiener
, he wrote Cybernetics, Communication and Control in the 1960s, a handbook of management technology.
He could speak Danish
, Dutch
, French
, Italian
, and Romanian
and Swedish
in addition to his native English
, and was president of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting in 1996. He became master of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers
in 1995, emulating his great-grandfather, Sir James Whitehead, 1st Baronet
(who was also a Lord Mayor of London
). He was involved in the establishment of the Guild of Public Relations Practitioners
, and was its master in 2002–3.
He was chairman of the trustees of the Rowland Hill Benevolent Trust for more than 40 years, a trustee of the Kelmscott House Trust
, and involved with the William Morris Society
for over 50 years. He was also a trustee of the Tyndale Society, and a church warden at St Mary Abchurch
, in the City of London. He was involved in setting up the Brunel Museum. A skydiver, he was a trustee of the Royal Aero Club
, and a member of the British Parachute Association
. He was also a vice-president of the English Music Festival
, an honorary member of the British Weights and Measures Association
, and a member of the executive committee for the Standing Council of the Baronetage
from 1984 to 1986.
He was awarded the Romanian Order of Merit
for his work with the Rising Stars Foundation.
He was survived by his wife and their son and daughter.
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...
baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
and merchant banker. In later life, he was heavily engaged with many charities
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
.
Biography
Whitehead was born in KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. He was educated at Radley College
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
, and read natural sciences at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
. He worked for Gillette and then became a merchant banker in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, working at Brown, Shipley & Co.
Brown, Shipley & Co.
Brown, Shipley & Co. is a long-established British private bank, based in London.It provides investment management, pensions and associated advisory services for private, institutional and corporate clients.-History:...
and Rothschilds
N M Rothschild & Sons
N M Rothschild & Sons is a private investment banking company, belonging to the Rothschild family...
.
Inspired by the work of Norbert Wiener
Norbert Wiener
Norbert Wiener was an American mathematician.A famous child prodigy, Wiener later became an early researcher in stochastic and noise processes, contributing work relevant to electronic engineering, electronic communication, and control systems.Wiener is regarded as the originator of cybernetics, a...
, he wrote Cybernetics, Communication and Control in the 1960s, a handbook of management technology.
He could speak Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, and Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
and Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
in addition to his native English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and was president of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting in 1996. He became master of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers
Worshipful Company of Fruiterers
The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London originally and presently concerned with the fruit trade, and a notable charitable institution.-History:...
in 1995, emulating his great-grandfather, Sir James Whitehead, 1st Baronet
Sir James Whitehead, 1st Baronet
Sir James Whitehead, 1st Baronet DL was a British merchant and Liberal Party politician.-Early life:Whitehead was born at Bramhall, near Sedbergh in Yorkshire. He was educated at the grammar school in Appleby-in-Westmorland, and was apprenticed as a draper in Kendal. He made his way to Bradford...
(who was also a Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
). He was involved in the establishment of the Guild of Public Relations Practitioners
Guild of Public Relations Practitioners
The Guild of Public Relations Practitioners is a guild in the City of London. The Guild was formed in 2000 to represent the public relations profession and for charitable purposes.The Guild aims to achieve a grant of livery to become a Livery Company....
, and was its master in 2002–3.
He was chairman of the trustees of the Rowland Hill Benevolent Trust for more than 40 years, a trustee of the Kelmscott House Trust
Kelmscott House
Kelmscott House is a historic building in Hammersmith, the London home of William Morris from April 1879 to his death in October 1896.Originally called "The Retreat", Morris renamed it after the Oxfordshire village of Kelmscott where he had lived at Kelmscott Manor from June 1871.Kelmscott House is...
, and involved with the William Morris Society
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
for over 50 years. He was also a trustee of the Tyndale Society, and a church warden at St Mary Abchurch
St Mary Abchurch
St Mary Abchurch is a Church of England church on Cannon Street in the City of London. Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is first mentioned in 1198-99.-History:The church dates back to the twelfth century...
, in the City of London. He was involved in setting up the Brunel Museum. A skydiver, he was a trustee of the Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
, and a member of the British Parachute Association
British Parachute Association
British Parachute Association is the National Governing Body for Sport Parachuting in the United Kingdom.-Overview:The BPA was founded in 1961 to organise, govern and further the advancement of sport parachuting within the UK ....
. He was also a vice-president of the English Music Festival
English Music Festival
The English Music Festival is an annual four day event held over the second May bank holiday, dedicated to the performance of British composers from the mediaeval to the present day with a strong focus on the early to mid twentieth century...
, an honorary member of the British Weights and Measures Association
British Weights and Measures Association
The current British Weights and Measures Association, or BWMA, is a pressure group established in the United Kingdom in 1995, founded by Vivian Linacre....
, and a member of the executive committee for the Standing Council of the Baronetage
Standing Council of the Baronetage
The Standing Council of the Baronetage is a United Kingdom organisation which deals with the affairs of baronets. It was first established in January 1898 as Honourable Society of the Baronetage...
from 1984 to 1986.
He was awarded the Romanian Order of Merit
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
for his work with the Rising Stars Foundation.
He was survived by his wife and their son and daughter.