Sir Philip Wroughton KCVO 1933 - 2020

SIR Philip Wroughton was born on April 19, 1933, in London and was named after his great uncle Philip Wroughton, who was killed in 1917. His father was born a Puxley, but changed his name to Wroughton in 1931 in accordance with the will of his uncle. The Wroughton family have resided at Woolley Park near Chaddleworth since the 18th century.

During the last war, Woolley was requisitioned and the family moved to Woodlands St Mary. They returned in 1946 and Philip was sent to Eton.

Two years National Service followed before getting a job in the city of London, ending up working for Lloyds Brokers, CT Bowring. There he was particularly good at doing business with Americans and entertaining them at weekends at Woolley.

When Bowrings was taken over by the American company Marsh and McLennan, he joined its board, responsible for all business outside of North America.

In 1994 he was made deputy chairman of Marsh worldwide. To be a British deputy chair of an American company, the largest brokers in the world, was a very great achievement.

During this time he had the added task of taking care of his family home and estate, which he had inherited in 1972 on the death of his father. Many times he got off an overnight flight, arriving back at Woolley to go straight into an estate meeting. He took his duties as a Berkshire landowner very seriously. In 1985 he was president of the Newbury and District Agricultural Society. He farmed part of his estate in hand and won many cups in the society’s growing crop competitions.

He made many improvements to the farm buildings and won a Country Land and Business Association Prize for the best conversion of redundant farm buildings into modern-day offices.

Beyond the estate, he became High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1977, was a governor of St Mary’s School, Wantage, and in 1991 he founded the Mary Hare Foundation, raising £8m for the school for the deaf.

Another great achievement was his appointment in 1995 as The Queens Representative, The Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire. His enthusiasm for all things Berkshire was unbounded. He was exceptionally successful in this role, attending countless engagements before retirement at 75. The Queen honoured him by appointing him a Knight Commander of the Victorian Order.

His recreations included shooting and racing. He owned several racehorses, including Emerging Market, which won at Royal Ascot. He delighted in being the owner of the gallops on Woolley Down.

In 1957 he married Catriona MacLeod, who survives him. He died peacefully on November 7. JHLP