History

Known as a mischief-maker and master of intrigue, Canadian-born the first Lord Beaverbrook was a giant of business, media and politics. A Conservative MP (1910-1916), he was the only man to serve in the Cabinet during both WW1 and WW2, holding multiple roles including Minister of Aircraft Production, Minister of Supply, and Minister of War Production.

A friend and favourite of Winston Churchill, he accepted a peerage in 1917, taking the Beaverbrook title having seen it on a map.

He became a major shareholder in the Daily Express and Evening Standard Newspapers, and by 1938 had increased circulation to the point the Daily Express became the largest ever selling British newspaper. With this came considerable political influence, and the beginning of the historically significant collection of over 8,000 twentieth-century political cartoons and papers that the Foundation safeguards today.

A member of the War Cabinet during WW1, Lord Beaverbrook played a significant role in increasing wartime production of fighters and bombers. Churchill admired his ‘vital and vibrant energy’, declaring, ‘this was his hour, his personal force and genius, combined with so much persuasion and contrivance, swept aside many obstacles. His brilliant ‘pots for planes’ scheme encouraged humble households to donate their aluminium kitchen pans, to build warplanes nationwide.

Lord Beaverbrook famously resided at Cherkley Court, a beautiful stately home he stumbled across while walking with his friend Rudyard Kipling. He bought the estate for £30,000 at the time, and renovated it extensively, before hosting the luminaries such as Winston Churchill, H.G. Wells, Harold McMillan, Rebecca West, Jean Cocteau, Rudyard Kipling, Elizabeth Taylor and Ian Fleming. The house, in the Surrey hills, is now a luxury hotel and golf club, with suites named after those who once visited.

Known for his mercurial personality, H.G. Wells said of Lord Beaverbrook, “If ever Max ever gets to Heaven, he won’t last long. 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.”

Post-war Lord Beaverbrook wrote extensively on his wartime experiences, taking a backseat from politics. He was said to love writing at night, always with a secretary to hand. His works included ‘Canada in Flanders’ (1916), ‘Politicians and the War’ (1939), and ‘The Decline and Fall of Lloyd George’ (1963).

Lord Beaverbrook set up his Foundations, in the UK and Canada to ensure his philanthropic activities continued.

Born in Montreal in 1910, Sir Max served in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force before being called up to a glittering WW2 career, destroying 16 enemy aircraft over 147 sorties. He became a Director of the Express Group and Chairman of Beaverbrook Newspapers on his Father’s death. MP for Holborn, and a talented sportsman, he instigated the Cowes Torquay Offshore Powerboat Race and contributed to the formation of the London International Boat Show.

Following his father’s death in 1964, Sir Max Aitken became Chairman of the Foundation, until his own death in 1985. His wife, Violet de Trafford, was an extraordinary woman in her own right. She died at 97, having been an accomplished power boater, and given Sir Max two children, the current Lord Beaverbrook, and Laura Levi, who resides on the Isle of Wight, where a museum dedicated to her father’s memory is located, full of artefacts telling the story of his life.

Lord Beaverbrook became a Member of the House of Lords in 1985, appointed Treasurer of the Conservative Party by Margaret Thatcher in 1990, then Treasurer of the European Democratic Union. He served in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, becoming Honorary Air Commodore of 4624 Movements Squadron, and then Commandant General, RauxAF in the rank of Air Vice Marshal.

A successful entrepreneur, he manages the Beaverbrook/Aitken Family Office investments in property and new technologies. A keen racing driver and powerboater, he has been on the Boards of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, (owners of Silverstone), the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and the British Powerboat Racing Club.