RUSSON, Sir WILLIAM CLAYTON (1895 - 1968), industrialist
Date of birth: 1895
Date of death: 1968
Spouse: Gwladys Nellie Russon (née Markham)
Parent: Gertrude Emma Russon (née James)
Parent: William Russon
Gender: Male
Occupation: industrialist
Area of activity: Business and Industry
Author: David Brinley Clay Jones
Born 30 June 1895, son of William and Gertrude Emma (née James) Russon, Selly Park, Warwickshire. His mother was Welsh but it is not known from what part of Wales she hailed. He was educated at the King Edward VI School, Birmingham and then he took an interest in radio and established a radio business of his own. He was an enthusiastic gardener and in 1932 he bought R. & G. Cuthbert of Waltham Cross, a company which specialised in growing and selling roses and other plants. By the start of World War II the company was also selling garden seeds and in 1940 moved to Dolgellau and then to Barmouth and finally, in 1942-43, to Llangollen. He had by this time become fully involved in the life of Wales and in 1944 became the first chairman of the North Wales Industrial Society and its president in 1947. He was High Sheriff of Merionethshire in 1947-48 and again in 1965-66. He took a prominent part in the establishment of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod and was its first president in 1947. He was chairman of the Committee for National Savings in Merionethshire from 1939-1947 and was honoured for this work by the award of an M.B.E. in 1946 and an O.B.E. in 1952. In 1958 he was president of Gŵyl Gwerin Cymru and a member of the Empire and Commonwealth Games Committee and was that year knighted for his contribution to the public life of Wales. He served on the Council for Wales from 1949 to 1963 and was chairman of its panel for the promotion of tourism. He was a member of the Wales Development Corporation from 1958 to 1963 and a chairman of several seed companies and of the Phostrogen company in Corwen. From 1960 onwards he served as an officer of the Order of St. John, becoming Commander in 1962 and Knight in 1968. He was also a Freeman of the City of London.
In 1931 he married Gwladys Nellie, the daughter of Henry Markham of Dulwich and they made their home at Glanymawddach near Barmouth. He died on 16 April 1968 and was buried at Caerdeon church cemetery.
Author
- David Brinley Clay Jones, (1924 - 1996)
- Details supplied by his widow
Sources
- Wikidata: Q20734379
Additional Links
Published date: 2001
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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