Sir William Maxwell "Max" Aitken, 1st Baronet, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, PC (May 25, 1879 – June 9, 1964) was a Canadian – British business tycoon, politician, and writer. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A business (also called firm or an enterprise) is a legally recognized organizational entity designed to provide goods and/or services to A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a mogul, tycoon, baron, or industrialist, is a person who has reached a prominent place in A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person A writer is anyone who creates a written work although the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally as well as those who have written in many different forms

Early career in Canada

Beaverbrook House, formerly the Old Manse Library, and earlier the boyhood home of Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook, in Newcastle, Miramichi, New Brunswick (IR Walker 1983)

Aitken was born in Maple, Ontario, Canada in 1879, son of a Presbyterian minister. Miramichi is the largest city in northern New Brunswick, Canada. Maple (ˈmeɪpəl (Estimated 2006 population 49388 is a high-growth suburban community northwest of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, part of the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform clergy functions such as teaching of beliefs The following year, his family moved to Newcastle, New Brunswick, the place Aitken would always call home. Miramichi is the largest city in northern New Brunswick, Canada. New Brunswick ( French: Nouveau-Brunswick /nuvobʁɔnzwik/ is one of Canada 's three Maritime provinces and is the only constitutionally It was here, at the age of 13, he published his first newspaper. A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint.

Although Aitken wrote the entrance examinations for Dalhousie University and registered at the Saint John Law School, he did not attend either institution. Dalhousie University is a University located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. His only formal higher education came when he briefly attended the University of New Brunswick. The University of New Brunswick ( UNB) is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. Aitken worked for a short time as an office boy in the law office of Richard Bedford Bennett, in the town of Chatham, New Brunswick. Richard Bedford Bennett 1st Viscount Bennett PC KC ( July 3, 1870 &ndash June 26, 1947) was a Canadian Chatham is a Canadian urban neighbourhood in the city of Miramichi, New Brunswick. Bennett later became Prime Minister of Canada and a business associate. The Prime Minister of Canada ( French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus

As a young man, Aitken made his way to Halifax, Nova Scotia where John F Stairs, part of the city's dominant business family, gave him employment, training him in the business of finance. The City of Halifax (est 1841 is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's John Fitzwilliam Stairs, also known as John Fitz William Stairs ( January 19, 1848 &ndash September 26, 1904) was an entrepreneur In 1904, when Stairs opened his newly formed Royal Securities Corporation, Aitken became a minority shareholder and the firm's general manager. Royal Securities Corporation Limited was a Canadian Stock brokerage firm founded in Halifax Nova Scotia in early 1903 by John F Under the tutelage of Stairs, who would be his mentor and friend, Aitken engineered a number of successful business deals and was planning to do a series of bank mergers; however, Stairs' unexpected early death in late September of 1904 led to Aitken acquiring control of the company. Stairs had given the untested and untrained Aitken an opportunity in business, just as Aitken would later do when he hired A. J. Nesbitt, a young dry goods salesman from Saint John, New Brunswick. Arthur James Nesbitt ( August 19, 1880 - October 24, 1954) was a Canadian businessman and Philanthropist who was a cofounder Saint John is the largest city in the Province of New Brunswick, and the oldest incorporated city in Canada. Because Montreal, Quebec was the financial center of Canada, Aitken would send Nesbitt to open the Montreal branch of Royal Securities. Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec

Canada Cement Scandal

Lord Beaverbrook plaque in Maple, Ontario

In 1910 Aitken acquired many of the small regional cement plants in Eastern Canada, and amalgamated them into Canada Cement. Canada was booming at the time so he had the monopoly on the material. There were irregularities in the stock transfer, and Aitken quickly sold his shares, making a huge fortune and some cheated investors. Aitken then left for England. Some say had he stayed in Canada he would have been charged with securities fraud.

In 1912, Nesbitt left Aitken's employ to form Nesbitt, Thomson and Co. stock brokerage. Nesbitt Thomson and Company is a former Canadian stock brokerage firm founded in 1912 by Arthur J Aitken appointed employee Izaak Walton Killam as the new President of Royal Securities and, firmly ensconced in England, sold the Canadian securities company to Killam in 1919. Izaak Walton Killam ( July 23, 1885 in Yarmouth Nova Scotia &ndash August 5, 1955 in Grand-Cascapedia Quebec) was one

On January 29, 1906 in Halifax, Max Aitken married Gladys Henderson Drury, daughter of Major-General Charles William Drury CBE. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. They had three children before her death in 1927.

Children with Gladys Henderson Drury:

1. Janet Gladys Aitken (1908-1988)
2. John William Maxwell Aitken (1910-1985)
3. Peter Rudyard Aitken (1912-1947)

To England

Aitken soon moved to England and in 1910 became Unionist Member of Parliament for Ashton-under-Lyne. Sir John William Maxwell "Max" Aitken 2nd Baronet, DSO, DFC ( 15 February 1910 &ndash 30 April 1985) formerly England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Liberal Unionists were a British political party that split away from the Liberals in 1886 and had effectively merged with the Conservatives by the A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Ashton under Lyne is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. He bought and later sold control of the Rolls-Royce automobile company and began to build a London newspaper empire. For the present day company see Rolls-Royce plc. For other uses see Rolls-Royce (disambiguation. He often worked closely with Andrew Bonar Law, another native of New Brunswick, who became the only Canadian to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Andrew Bonar Law (16 September 1858 &ndash 30 October 1923 was a Canadian -born British Conservative Party statesman and Prime Minister. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom In 1911, he was knighted by King George V. During World War I, the Canadian government put him in charge of creating the Canadian War Records Office in London, and Aitken made certain that news of Canada's contribution to the War was printed in Canadian and British newspapers. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Aitken also established the Canadian War Memorials Fund that evolved into a collection of war art by the premier artists and sculptors in Britain and Canada. His visits to the Western Front during World War I, during which he held the honorary rank of colonel in the Canadian Army, resulted in his 1916 book Canada in Flanders, a three-volume collection that chronicled the achievements of Canadian soldiers on the battlefields. See Western Front (disambiguation for other meanings Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country After the War, he wrote several books including Politicians and the Press in 1925 and Politicians and the War in 1928.

Adding to his chain of newspapers, which included the London Evening Standard, he bought a controlling interest in the failing Daily Express from Lawson Johnson on 14 November 1916 for £17,500; he had been lending money to the paper and its proprietors since January 1911. The London Evening Standard is an English Tabloid regional local newspaper published and sold in London and surrounding areas of southeast The Daily Express is a conservative Middle-market British Tabloid Newspaper. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year He always obscured this transaction because it was at the same time as the Parliamentary crisis which replaced Asquith with Lloyd George, in which Beaverbrook's ally and protegé Bonar Law played a great part; A.J.P. Taylor, Beaverbrook's friend and biographer, assures us that this was a mere coincidence, brought on by Johnson's eagerness to be quit of the paper. David Lloyd George 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor OM, PC (17 January 1863 &ndash 26 March 1945 was a British Statesman and the only Alan John Percival Taylor ( March 25, 1906 – September 7, 1990) was a renowned English Historian of the 20th century

He was granted a peerage in 1917, and in 1918 Beaverbrook became the first Minister of Information. The Peerage is a system of Titles of Nobility in the United Kingdom, part of the British honours system. He became responsible for allied propaganda in allied and neutral countries. Lord Northcliffe became a Director of Propaganda and control propaganda in enemy countries. During his time in office Beaverbrook had a number of clashes with Foreign Secretary Balfour over the use of intelligence material. Beaverbrook felt that intelligence should become part of his department, Balfour disagreed. Eventually the intelligence committee was assigned to Beaverbrook but they then resigned en masse to be re-employed by the Foreign office. Beaverbrook also came under attack from MP's who distrusted a press baron being employed by the state. He survived but became increasingly frustrated with his limited role and influence, and in September 1918 he resigned claiming ill health.

First baron of Fleet Street

Over time, he turned the dull newspaper into a glittering and witty journal, filled with an array of dramatic photo layouts and in 1918, he founded the Sunday Express. By 1934, daily circulation reached 1,708,000, generating huge profits for Aitken whose wealth was already such that he never took a salary. Following World War II, the Daily Express became the largest selling newspaper in the world, by far, with a circulation of 3,706,000. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including He would become known by some historians as the first baron of "Fleet Street" and as one of the most powerful men in Britain whose newspapers could make or break almost anyone. Fleet Street is a street in London, England named after the River Fleet. In the 1930s, while personally attempting to dissuade King Edward VIII from continuing his potentially ruinous affair with American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, Lord Beaverbrook's newspapers published every tidbit of the affair, especially the heir's apparent cosiness with Adolf Hitler. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Wallis Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Spencer, then Simpson; 19 June 1895 or 1896 &ndash 24 April 1986 was an American Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately

World War II

During World War II, his friend Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, would appoint him as Minister of Aircraft Production and later Minister of Supply. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom The Minister of Aircraft Production was the British government position in charge of the Ministry of Aircraft Production one of the specialised supply ministries set up by the British The Minister of Supply was the minister in the British Government responsible for the Ministry of Supply, which existed to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to the national Under Aitken, fighter and bomber production increased so much so that Churchill declared: "His personal force and genius made this Aitken's finest hour". Beaverbrook's impact on war time production has been much debated but his innovate style certainly energised production at a time when it was desperately needed. Beaverbrook also accompanied Churchill to several war time meetings with President Roosevelt. He also headed the British delegation to Moscow with American counterpart Averill Harriman. Throughout the war Beaverbrook remained a close confident of Churchill. However this did not stop arguments between the two such as over the second front over which Beaverbrook resigned in 1942. Clement Atlee commented that 'Churchill often listened to Beaverbrook's advice but was too sensible to take it'

The benefactor

After the war, Lord Beaverbrook served as Chancellor of the University of New Brunswick and became the university's greatest benefactor, fulfilling the same role for the city of Fredericton and the Province as a whole. Fredericton (pronounced ˈfrɛdrɨktɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial He would provide additions to the University, scholarship funds, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, the Beaverbrook Skating Rink, the Lord Beaverbrook Hotel (profits donated to charity), The Playhouse, Louise Manny's early folklore work, and numerous other projects. The Fredericton Playhouse is a non-profit organization venue for hosting local talent acts and touring performers located in downtown Fredericton, New Brunswick, Louise Elizabeth Manny (1890 - August 1970 was a New Brunswick folklorist and historian

Bust of Lord Beaverbrook, where his ashes are deposited, in the town square of Newcastle, Miramichi, New Brunswick (IR Walker 2008)

In 1957, a bronze statue of Lord Beaverbrook was erected at the centre of Officers' Square in Fredericton, New Brunswick, paid for by money raised by children throughout the province. Miramichi is the largest city in northern New Brunswick, Canada. A bust of him by Oscar Nemon stands in the park in the town square of Newcastle, New Brunswick not far from where he sold newspapers as a young boy. Oscar Nemon ( 13 March 1906 – 13 April 1985) was a Jewish sculptor who was born in Slavonia but eventually settled in His ashes are in the plinth of the bust.

Beaverbrook was both admired and despised in England, sometimes at the same time: in his 1956 autobiography, David Low quotes H.G. Wells as saying of Beaverbrook: "If ever Max ever gets to Heaven, he won't last long. David Low may refer to David Low (cartoonist David Low (professor (1786–1859 G Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 &ndash 13 August 1946 He was an outspoken socialist and a pacifist, his later works becoming increasingly political He will be chucked out for trying to pull off a merger between Heaven and Hell after having secured a controlling interest in key subsidiary companies in both places, of course. "

In England he lived at Cherkley Court, near Leatherhead, Surrey. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Cherkley Court, near Leatherhead, Surrey, in England, is a late Victorian mansion once the country estate of Lord Beaverbrook (1879-1964 Leatherhead is a small town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. Beaverbrook remained a widower for many years until 1963 when he married Marcia Anastasia Christoforides (1910-1994), the widow of his friend Sir James Dunn. Marcia Anastasia Christoforides The Lady Beaverbrook (formerly Lady Dunn ( July 27, 1910 – October 28, 1994) was a philanthropist an art Sir James Hamet Dunn 1st Baronet ( October 29 1874 - January 1 1956) was a major Canadian financier and industrialist during the first half of Lord Beaverbrook died in Surrey in 1964. The Beaverbrook Foundation continues his philanthropic interests.

Legacy

Lord Beaverbrook and his wife Lady Beaverbrook have left a considerable legacy to his adopted province of New Brunswick and the United Kingdom, among others. His legacy includes the following buildings:

The statue of Lord Beaverbrook located in Officers Square in Fredericton. Fredericton (pronounced ˈfrɛdrɨktɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial

• University of New Brunswick
  • Aitken House
  • Aitken University Centre
  • Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium
  • Lady Beaverbrook Residence
  • Beaverbrook House (UNBSJ E-Commerce Centre)

• City of Fredericton, New Brunswick
  • Lady Beaverbrook Arena (formerly operated by the University of New Brunswick)
  • The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, including world-renowned art collection (N. B. 's provincial gallery)
  • The Fredericton Playhouse
  • Lord Beaverbrook Hotel

• City of Miramichi, New Brunswick
  • Lord Beaverbrook Arena (LBA)
  • Beaverbrook Kin Centre
  • Lord Beaverbrook statue in Queen Elizabeth Park in Miramichi
  • Aitken Avenue in Miramichi West

• City of Campbellton, New Brunswick
  • Lord Beaverbrook School

• City of Saint John, New Brunswick
  • Lord Beaverbrook Rink

• City of Calgary, Alberta
  • Lord Beaverbrook High School

• McGill University
  • The Beaverbrook Chair in Ethics, Media and Communications

• The Beaver magazine
  • Voted one of the top 100 "Worst Canadians". The Fredericton Playhouse is a non-profit organization venue for hosting local talent acts and touring performers located in downtown Fredericton, New Brunswick, Lord Beaverbrook High School or LBHS is a high school in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Beaver is also a character on the United States TV series Leave It to Beaver. (August-September edition, 2007)

Trivia

• Lord Beaverbrook has a lasting place in British popular culture as one of the famous English people taunted by name in Bjørge Lillelien's legendary commentary immediately after Norway defeated England in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in 1981. Bjørge Lillelien ( March 29, 1927 &ndash October 26, 1987) was a Norwegian Sports Journalist and Commentator The Norwegian national football team, controlled by the Norwegian Football Association, is the national football team of Norway. The English national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th staging of the World Cup was held in Spain from June 13 to July 11. Listed below are the dates and results for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the European zone ( UEFA).

• Lord Beaverbrook employed novelist Evelyn Waugh in London and abroad. Arthur Evelyn St John Waugh (ˈiːvlɪn ˈwɔː (28 October 1903 &ndash 10 April 1966 was an English Writer, best known for such darkly humorous and Waugh repaid his employer by lampooning him in Scoop, as Lord Copper, and in both Put Out More Flags and Vile Bodies, as Lord Monomark. Scoop is a 1938 novel by English writer Evelyn Waugh, a Satire of sensational journalism and foreign correspondence Put Out More Flags, the sixth novel by Evelyn Waugh, was first published by Chapman and Hall in 1942 Vile Bodies is a 1930 novel by Evelyn Waugh satirising decadent young London society between World War I and World

• Lord Beaverbrook was the basis of the inspiration for the play and subsequent of Edward, My Son which shows the protagonist in a less than positive light. Edward My Son is a 1949 film which tells the story of a character named Arnold Boult who will commit any crime in order to make his son a success even driving away

• Lord Beaverbrook is referenced in English pop/rock band The Kinks song "Mr. Churchill Says". The Kinks were an English pop and rock group formed in 1963 and categorised in the US as a British Invasion band " Mr Churchill Says " is a song by Ray Davies of The Kinks.

See also

• Minister of Aircraft Production

Bibliography

• Canada in Flanders (1916)
• Politicians and the Press (1925)
• Politicians and the War Vol 1 (1928)
• Politicians and the War Vol 2 (1932)
• Men and Power (1956)
• Friends: Sixty years of Intimate personal relations with Richard Bedford Bennett (1959)
• Courage (1961)
• The decline and fall of Lloyd George (1962)
• The divine propagandist (1962)
• My Early Life (1962)
• Success (1962)
• The Abdication of Edward VIII (1966)

Further reading

• Beaverbrook, by A.J.P. Taylor, 1972. The Minister of Aircraft Production was the British government position in charge of the Ministry of Aircraft Production one of the specialised supply ministries set up by the British My Early Life A Roving Commission is a 1930 book by Winston Churchill. Alan John Percival Taylor ( March 25, 1906 – September 7, 1990) was a renowned English Historian of the 20th century

External links

• National Film Board of Canada biography
• Works by Max Aitken Beaverbrook at Project Gutenberg
• Ontario Plaques - Lord Beaverbrook
• his role as minister of Information during WW1