The 11th Viscount Downe, DL, (1935-2002)
Michael Rhodes
his home at Wykeham Abbey, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England,
15 March, 2002, after a long illness.
John Christian George Dawnay, the eleventh Viscount (cr 1680), was
also Baron Dawnay of Danby (Cr 1897), and a Baronet.
He was born at Wykeham, 18 January, 1935, one of the last of King
George V's godchildren, the son of the 10th Viscount, OBE, and his
wife Margaret Christine, (d. 1967), daughter of Christian Bahnsen, of
New Jersey, United States.
He was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, and was
commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards, 1954.
He was a non-marine broker at Lloyd's, 1958-65, and succeeded to the
viscountcy on the demise of his father in 1965.
Lord Downe worked in industry as a technology manager, and was with
J.J. Thomson Physical Lab. University of Reading, 1964-78; Brookdeal
Electronics Ltd; Managing Director, 1965-68; Vice-Chairman, 1968-71;
Chairman 1971-84; Director: Dawnay Faulkner Associated Ltd
(Consultants), 1968- ;Allen Bradley Electronics Ltd, 1970-81; George
Rowney & Co. Ltd., 1979-83; York Ltd, 1980-99 (Chairman 1980-93;
President from 1993); Yorkshire Bank, PLC, 1990-96; SensorDynamics
Ltd, from 1990; Aaston Ltd, from 1992; Aaston Inc., from 1992.
Lord Downe was a director of Scarborough Theatre Trust for over 30
years, and vice-chairman from 1986; a member of the Yorkshire Branch
of the Country Landowners Committee from 1966 (Chairman 1988-90); CLA
Exec. Cttee, 1990-94.
He served as a member of the North York Moors National Park Committee,
1969-97 (Vice-Chairman, 1982-5); North Riding/North Yorkshire County
Council, 1969-85; National Railway Museum Committee from 1974
(Chairman 1985-97); North Yorkshire and East Riding Rural Development
Committee (formerly North Yorkshire Rural Development Commission
County Committee), from 1978, (Chairman 1986-99); President, North
Yorkshire Moors Historic Railways Trust from 1970; Yorkshire Rural
Community Council from 1977; Aston Martin Owners Club from
1980;Friends of the National Railway Museum from 1988; Trustee
National Museum of Science and Industry, 1985-97; Burton Constable
Foundation, 1992-2000; Hon. Colonel 150 (Yorkshire) Regiment RLC(V),
1984-95.
The peer was a Freeman of the Company of the Staple of England, 1979;
Liveryman, Co. of Scientific Instrument Makers from 1991; and a Deputy
Lieutenant of North Yorkshire since 1981.
He farmed his estate at Wykeham Abbey and possessed a London town
house in Douro Place.
Lord Downe married in 1965, Alison Diana, daughter of I.F.H. Sconce,
OBE, by whom he had two children, a son, the Hon Richard Henry Dawnay,
(b. 1967), who now succeeds as 12th holder of the Viscountcy, and a
daughter, the Hon Sarah Frances Dawnay, (b. 1970), who announced her
engagement in the autumn of last year.
The funeral takes place at All Saints' Church, Wykeham, Scarborough,
on Friday 22 March, 2002, at 12 noon, followed by private interment at
Wykeham Abbey.
...Michael Rhodes.
Louis Epstein
: The 11th Viscount Downe, DL, a Yorkshire landowner, died peacefully at
: his home at Wykeham Abbey, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England,
: 15 March, 2002, after a long illness.
: John Christian George Dawnay, the eleventh Viscount (cr 1680), was
: also Baron Dawnay of Danby (Cr 1897), and a Baronet.
Thus,an Irish viscount and a UK baron,the latter for a Lords
seat until the present government stole it.
: He was born at Wykeham, 18 January, 1935, one of the last of King
I wonder if his death will change her wedding plans,
just as the late Duke of Gloucester's wedding was downsized
on the death of the bride's father the Duke of Buccleuch.
: The funeral takes place at All Saints' Church, Wykeham, Scarborough,
: on Friday 22 March, 2002, at 12 noon, followed by private interment at
: Wykeham Abbey.
-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.