Sir Peter Menzies, industrialist; born April 15, 1912, died December 13, 1998
Though Sir Peter Menzies was born in Chichester, both his parents were Scots, and he was immensely proud of his Scottish roots - ''never happier than when in the Highlands,'' as one family member put it.
His father died from the effects
of being gassed at the Somme
during the First World War, and
the young Menzies was brought north by his mother, who originated from Musselburgh. He was educated at Musselburgh Grammar School and Edinburgh University, where he obtained First Class Honours in Maths and Natural philosophy.
He began his career in the Civil Service, working for the Inland Revenue from 1933-39, but moved to ICI, where he became a director from 1956-72, serving as deputy chairman from 1967. He was a part-time member of the Central Electricity Generating Board from 1960-72 and a member of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration from 1971-83, but his most senior appointment was chairman of the Electricity Council from 1972-77, when there was much industrial unrest in the industry.
He was on the London executive committee of the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) from 1977-82, but his strongest link with Scotland came through his vice-presidency of the Clan Menzies society - which saw him helping to arrange the purchase and restoration of Castle Menzies in Perthshire.
He married his first wife, Mary, in 1938, but she died in 1992. They had a son and a daughter. He married his second wife, Muriel, in 1994.
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