George Kynoch (businessman)
George Kynoch (22 August 1834 – 28 February 1891) was the founder of IMI plc, one of the United Kingdom's largest engineering businesses.
Biography
[edit]George Kynoch was born at Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and educated at the local school. He first worked as an insurance clerk in Glasgow and then as a bank clerk in Worcester.[1]
After working for a while at larger bank branch in Birmingham, in 1856 he decided to join Pursall & Phillips, percussion cap manufacturers, in Birmingham.[1] An explosion in 1859 destroyed the works, killing 19 of the 70 employees.[1][2] As a result the firm moved to on four acres of land at Witton in 1862.[3][1]
In 1863, Kynoch took over the business, which was subsequently renamed G. Kynoch and Co.[2][1] The Lion Works, as it became known, quickly secured contracts to supply ammunition to the British and Turkish Governments.[1] In 1884 his interests were bought out and he was simply employed as managing director.[4]
In 1886, he became Member of Parliament for Aston Manor and in 1887 he was appointed president of Aston Villa Football Club.[1] These roles distracted him from his business and in 1888 he was forced to resign.[1]
Personal life
[edit]In 1863, he married Helen Birley. They later separated.[1]
Death
[edit]He emigrated to South Africa and died in Johannesburg in 1891, aged 56.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "George Kynoch". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/48741. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ a b "Pursall and Phillips". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
- ^ Robert D. Beeman; John B. Allen (2005). Blue Book of Airguns. Blue Book Publications. p. 295. ISBN 1-886768-56-0.
- ^ Staffs Home Guard
External links
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- 1834 births
- 1891 deaths
- People from Peterhead
- Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
- UK MPs 1886–1892
- British businesspeople in the armaments industry
- Scottish emigrants to South Africa
- Businesspeople from Birmingham, West Midlands
- 19th-century Scottish businesspeople
- 19th-century English businesspeople
- British business biography stubs
- Conservative MP for England, 1830s birth stubs