Nearly twenty years ago I went to Quintin Hogg’s memorial service in Westminster Abbey. At the time I was working in the City but Ian arrived in good time to get front row seats, that is as front row as permitted for nobodies. We were placed behind the section reserved for the House of Lords.
All the Peers nobody has ever heard of turned up early to get in the front. Then all the Peers, appointed mostly by Lady Thatcher, came at the last minute and sat in front of us. It was fun trying to remember their names and jobs. Lord Carrington gave a superb address – perhaps the best I have heard. May I digress? A friend remembers hearing Sir Edward Cazalet’s address at Robin Birkenhead’s mem. service in the 1980s. (The 3rd Earl of Birkenhead was a writer and historian who had a heart attack playing real tennis at Leamington Spa. His father was the Lord Birkenhead of Chariots of Fire fame.) My friend said that the only address that came close to Sir Edward’s was one by Lord Carrington.
But we must delve into Quintin Hogg’s ancestry. His father was the 1st Lord Hailsham and also Lord Chancellor. His grandfather was another Quintin Hogg, but not ennobled, indeed Wikipedia dubs him a merchant. Like me he went to Eton and was a sugar broker – the resemblance ends there. He was a philanthropist – the school he founded is now the University of Westminster. In the 19th century it was called the Regent Street Polytechnic and they started a rowing club in 1879. Nine years later Quintin stumped up for a boat house near Chiswick Bridge and threw in a few boats for good measure. It’s still there and deservedly retains its founder’s name: Quintin Boat Club.
I have walked past countless times but Bali pointed it out to me recently. I don’t think this crew belongs to the club.
