Sir Ralph Ellis "Robin" Brook (19 June 1908 – 25 October 1998) was a British merchant banker and a director of the

Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and still one of the bankers for the Government of ...

. His wife Helen Brook was founder of the

Brook Advisory Centres Brook Advisory Centres were set up by Lady Helen Brook in 1964 offering contraceptive advice to young single people under the age of 25. Brook was asked in 1958 by the Eugenics Society to run the birth control clinic they had just been bequeathed ...

. As a fencer, he competed at the

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

and

1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ca ...

. In 1936, he won the sabre title at the British Fencing Championships. The son of a surgeon, Brook was educated, through scholarships, at Eton College and subsequently at King's College, Cambridge, where he studied under

Maynard Keynes John Maynard Keynes, 1st Baron Keynes, ( ; 5 June 1883 – 21 April 1946), was an English economist whose ideas fundamentally changed the theory and practice of macroeconomics and the economic policies of governments. Originally trained in m ...

, earning a double first in Economics.

Honours

Brook was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) on 2 August 1945, and a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

(CMG) in the

1954 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1954 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1954 to celebrat ...

. He was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in the

1974 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1974 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1974 to celebra ...

for services to export, in his role as President of the

Association of British Chambers of Commerce Association may refer to: *Club (organization), an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal *Trade association, an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry *Voluntary associatio ...

References

External links

* 1908 births 1998 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of King's College, Cambridge English male fencers Officers of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Knights Bachelor Olympic fencers for Great Britain Fencers at the 1936 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1948 Summer Olympics Fencers from London Sportspeople from Southwark {{UK-fencing-bio-stub