Sir Victor Dunn Warren DL JP (1903–1953) was a 20th century Scottish explosives manufacturer who served as Lord Provost of

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

from 1949 to 1952.

Life and work

He was born on 21 May 1903 in

, the son of David Dunn Warren (founder of Hunter and Warren explosives) and his wife Jean McCaull. The family lived at 5 Saltoun Gardens in the

Dowanhill Dowanhill is an area in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. An upper middle-class residential district, the area generally contains a mixture of terraced townhouses with private communal gardens, detached villas with private grounds and a number ...

district. He was educated at

Kelvinside Academy Kelvinside Academy is an independent day school in Glasgow, Scotland, founded in 1878. It has a capacity of over 600 pupils and spans two years of Nursery, six years of Junior School (primary school), a transition year of Senior Preparatory, and ...

Warriston School Warriston School was a private preparatory school for boys in Moffat, Scotland. From September 1963 the school catered for pupils from ages 9–18. Warriston School was ultimately owned and run by Brian Larmour and his wife. Age group was from 1 ...

Moffat Moffat ( gd, Mofad) is a burgh and parish in Dumfriesshire, now part of the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area in Scotland. It lies on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. It was a centre of the wool trade and a spa town. ...

and

Rossall School Rossall School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for 0–18 year olds, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College ...

. From at least 1929 he was Chairman of Hunter and Warren, explosives manufacturers. His company was taken over in 1949 by

Imperial Chemical Industries Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) was a British chemical company. It was, for much of its history, the largest manufacturer in Britain. It was formed by the merger of four leading British chemical companies in 1926. Its headquarters were at M ...

(ICI). He was elected Lord Provost in 1949, representing the

Progressive Party Progressive Party may refer to: Active parties * Progressive Party, Brazil * Progressive Party (Chile) * Progressive Party of Working People, Cyprus * Dominica Progressive Party * Progressive Party (Iceland) * Progressive Party (Sardinia), Italy ...

. His most noteworthy roles, representing head of civil defence, was organising defences against nuclear war (in the post-war "duck-and cover" hysteria) and beginning the waves of

slum clearance Slum clearance, slum eviction or slum removal is an urban renewal strategy used to transform low income settlements with poor reputation into another type of development or housing. This has long been a strategy for redeveloping urban communities; ...

for which Glasgow became very famous. He was knighted by King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

in 1951. He died in

on 3 March 1953.

Family

In 1927 he married Mary Winifred Wishart (1900-1994).

Artistic Recognition

He was portrayed in office by

William Oliphant Hutchison Sir William Oliphant Hutchison LLD PRSA (2 July 1889 – 5 February 1970) was a Scottish portrait and landscape painter. He was an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy, President of the Royal Scottish Academy and a member of the Royal Society ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Warren, Victor Dunn 1903 births 1953 deaths Businesspeople from Glasgow People educated at Warriston School People educated at Kelvinside Academy People educated at Rossall School 20th-century Scottish businesspeople Lord Provosts of Glasgow