Robert Burnham Renwick, 1st Baron Renwick,

KBE KBE may refer to: * Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, post-nominal letters * Knowledge-based engineering Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) is the application of knowledge-based systems technology to the domain o ...

(4 October 1904 – 30 August 1973), known as Sir Robert Renwick, 2nd Baronet, from 1932 to 1964, was a British industrialist and public servant. Renwick was the only son of

Sir Harry Renwick, 1st Baronet {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2022 Sir Harry Benedetto Renwick, 1st Baronet, KBE (13 June 1861 – 7 January 1932) was a British businessman and public servant. An electricity industry executive, during the First World War he was the Director of Feedi ...

, and his wife Frederica Louisa (''née'' Laing). His father was head of County of London Electric Supply Ltd., the electric power utility for London. Robert succeeded in the baronetcy in 1932, and became head of County of London Electric in 1939. During the Second World War he held several important offices. He was Controller of Communications at the Air Ministry and of Communications Equipment at the

Ministry of Aircraft Production Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...

from 1942 to 1945. He also served as Chairman of the Airborne Forces Committee from 1943 to 1945. In 1947 the Labour Government nationalized Renwick's power companies under the Electricity Act 1947. Renwick turned his attention to broadcasting. He was extremely influential in commercial television in the United Kingdom, and saw a good return from his television interests. He was chairperson of

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. On 23 December 1964 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Renwick, of Coombe in the

County of Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant ur ...

Family

Lord Renwick married, firstly, Dorothy Mary, daughter of Harold Parkes, in 1929. They were divorced in 1953. He married, secondly, Joan, daughter of Sir Reginald Clarke and widow of John Ogilvie Spencer, in 1953. He died in August 1973, aged 68, and was succeeded in his titles by his only son from his first marriage, Harry. His daughter Jennifer was the first wife of oarsman and printer Antony Rowe.

Arms

Notes

References

* Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
Burke’s Peerage
established in London in 1826 by John Burke and has become the definitive guide to the genealogy and heraldry of the Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Landed Gentry of the United Kingdom and many other countries associated with the UK historically. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Renwick, Robert Renwick, 1st Baron 1904 births 1973 deaths Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Place of birth missing Place of death missing 20th-century British businesspeople Hereditary barons created by Elizabeth II Civil servants in the Ministry of Aircraft Production Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom