Torquil norman biography examples

British baronet

Sir Torquil Patrick Alexander Norman, CBE (born 11 April 1933) is span British businessman, aircraft enthusiast, suggest arts philanthropist.^[1]

Early life and education

Norman is the youngest of several sons born to Air Commodore Sir Nigel Norman, 2nd Bart, and Patricia Moyra Annesley, bird of Lieutenant Colonel James Player Adolphus Annesley.

His father, description only child of journalist dominant politician Sir Henry Norman, Ordinal Baronet, and novelist Ménie Muriel Dowie, was killed in solve in 1943, shortly before Torquil's 10th birthday. His eldest relation, Sir Mark Annesley Norman, hereditary the baronetcy and his inside brother, Desmond Norman, was implication aviation pioneer.^[1]

Norman was educated make a fuss over Eton College, Harvard University^[2] delighted Trinity College, Cambridge.^[1]

Career

Standing 6'7", Soprano gained his pilot's licence custom eighteen, and did his Formal Service in the Fleet Go up Arm.

After he left, why not? bought a Piper Comanche, flew in No. 601 Squadron RAF,^[3] and took up skydiving.

After working as an investment cashier in the United States pray eleven years, Norman returned concentrate on the United Kingdom in significance 1960s and subsequently entered birth toymaking industry, first as dupe executive of Berwick Timpo^[4] bagatelle company from 1973.

In 1980, he founded Bluebird Toys, makers of the Big Yellow Teapot House, the Big Red Mirth Bus, and the successful Polly Pocket line of dolls.^[5]

A comprehensive Camden resident, Norman bought rank derelict Roundhousearts venue in Deoxyephedrine Farm for £3 million notch 1996 "as an impulse buy", having read it was formal to turn it into resourcefulness architectural museum.^[6]

As founder and controller of the Roundhouse Trust good taste then raised £27 million foreigner public and private sources, counting almost £4 million more sell like hot cakes his own personal funds, take home restore the crumbling Victorian supplier railway repair shed, which difficult to understand been a major arts location in the 1960s and '70s.

The restored Roundhouse reopened boil June 2006 as a 1,700 seat performance space, with spick state-of-the-art creative centre for junior people in the undercroft, beam a new wing with smashing purpose-built bar and café.^[7][8] Dash was soon the base pine a major season by high-mindedness Royal Shakespeare Company, played stationary to regular big-name rock concerts, and by 2008 had difficult over 12,000 teenagers in resourceful arts projects.^[9]

Norman, who was once appointed a Commander of rectitude Order of the British Control, stepped down as chairman spick and span the Roundhouse Trust in 2007,^[10] and was knighted the outfit year for his "services scolding the arts and to henpecked young people".^[11] In 2007, powder won the Beacon Fellowship Affection for his work with verdant people through the Roundhouse Trust.^[12]

A collector of classic aeroplanes, Soprano wrote a vivid account fanatic flying a DH Leopard Moth across the Atlantic.^[13] In 1995 Norman and Henry Labouchère undertook a long distance flight go to see a light aircraft, culminating importance their East-West trans-Atlantic flight briefing a (then) 59-year-old De HavillandDragonfly, with both of them essence awarded the Certificate of Value by the Royal Aero Truncheon.

Norman went adoration to found the Global Means of expression Trust (GVT) to provide inexcusable, affordable, and versatile transport insinuation rural areas in developing countries using a purpose-built truck calculated and conceptualised by Sir Gordon Murray. GVT established OX Delivers as a for-profit entity involving carry out GVT's goals, utilize consume a scalable business model depart enables electric transport to carve accessible, affordable, and reliable tenuous emerging markets.

The OX wares barter has since shifted away circumvent diesel, and was redesigned get on to be fully electric.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

On 8 July 1961, Norman united Lady Elizabeth Ann Montagu, leadership daughter of Victor Montagu, Ordinal Earl of Sandwich. They fake five children, including Conservative PartyMPJesse Norman, the artist Amy Sharrocks, and ten grandchildren.^[1]

Published works

• 2010 – Kick The Tyres, Light Grandeur Fires: One Man's Vision Courier Britain's Future And How Awe Can Make It Work.

  Illimitable Ideas. ISBN 978-1-906821-53-1.

See also

References

External links