Victor Matthews, Baron Matthews
Encyclopedia
Victor Collin Matthews, Baron Matthews of Southgate (5 December 1919 - 5 December 1995) was Group Managing Director of Trafalgar House
, one of the United Kingdom
's largest contracting businesses as well as the proprietor of the Daily Express
.
and educated at Highbury School, Victor Matthews initially worked as an office boy for a tobacco
business. During World War II
he served as an able seaman
in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and saw action at Dunkirk.
After the War he joined Trollope & Colls, a large construction
business, where he became a contracts manager. He then bought his own construction business, Bridge Walker, which he expanded significantly before selling it to Trafalgar House
. He became Group Managing Director of Trafalgar House in 1968 and Deputy Chairman in 1973.
In 1977 Trafalgar House acquired Beaverbrook Newspapers and in 1982, it was floated off as Fleet Holdings with Matthews as Chairman. Matthews renamed the business Express Newspapers after its lead publication, the Daily Express
. He had various confrontations with the trade unions but eventually secured their support. He became a Peer
in 1980.
In 1985 the business was acquired by United Newspapers and Matthews retired to Jersey
. He died there in 1995.
Trafalgar House (company)
Trafalgar House Public Limited Company was a British conglomerate with interests in property investment, property development, engineering, construction, shipping, hotels, energy and publishing...
, one of the United Kingdom
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...
's largest contracting businesses as well as the proprietor of the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
.
Career
Born in IslingtonIslington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
and educated at Highbury School, Victor Matthews initially worked as an office boy for a tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
business. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served as an able seaman
Able seaman
An able seaman is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination of these roles.-Watchstander:...
in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and saw action at Dunkirk.
After the War he joined Trollope & Colls, a large construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
business, where he became a contracts manager. He then bought his own construction business, Bridge Walker, which he expanded significantly before selling it to Trafalgar House
Trafalgar House (company)
Trafalgar House Public Limited Company was a British conglomerate with interests in property investment, property development, engineering, construction, shipping, hotels, energy and publishing...
. He became Group Managing Director of Trafalgar House in 1968 and Deputy Chairman in 1973.
In 1977 Trafalgar House acquired Beaverbrook Newspapers and in 1982, it was floated off as Fleet Holdings with Matthews as Chairman. Matthews renamed the business Express Newspapers after its lead publication, the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
. He had various confrontations with the trade unions but eventually secured their support. He became a Peer
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
in 1980.
In 1985 the business was acquired by United Newspapers and Matthews retired to Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
. He died there in 1995.