Sir Owen Cosby Philipps
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Owen Cosby Philipps, 1st and last Baron Kylsant, was born 25 March 1863 [1]. He was the son of Reverend Sir James Erasmus Philipps, 12th Baronet, of Picton Castle; his older brother was the 1st Viscount St Davids.
Owen Cosby Philipps was chairman and managing director of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company in 1902, and later chairman and managing director of the White Star and Union Castle Lines. In 1904, he was High Sheriff of Pembrokeshire, and from 1906 and 1910 represented Pembroke and Haverfordwest as Member of Parliament. As Sir Owen Philipps, he then represented the City of Chester in Parliament between 1916 and 1922.
In 1909, he was invested as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG), later raised to Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) in 1918. On 14 February 1923, Sir Owen was created 1st Baron Kylsant, of Carmarthen, co. Carmarthen and of Amroth, co. Pembroke, and was invested as a Knight of Justice of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (KStJ) in 1925.
Lord Kylsant acquired the Ocean Steam Navigation Company (trading as the White Star Line) in 1927 for £7 million (£300,000,000 in today’s money). He held the offices of Vice-Admiral of Carmarthenshire and Vice-Admiral of North Wales.
In August 1931 Lord Kylsant was tried at the Old Bailey for fraud and was sentenced to one year's imprisonment at Wormwood Scrubs and as a gentleman he could and did have all his meals sent in from a first-class caterer. The legal bill for the case was £200,000 (£9,000,000 in today’s money). The man who was known as "Napoleon of the Seas" when he dominated the White Star, Royal Mail and numerous other lines said to the two warders who were hovering nearby, "My good men, I am ready to go with you."[2]. Lord Kylsant was stripped of his knighthoods following his conviction.
Lord Kylsant died on 5 June 1937 at the age of 74, without male issue, and the barony thus became extinct.
[edit] References
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Wimburn Laurie |
Member of Parliament for Pembroke and Haverfordwest 1906–1910 |
Succeeded by Henry Guest |
| Preceded by Robert Armstrong Yerburgh |
Member of Parliament for City of Chester 1916–1922 |
Succeeded by Sir Charles William Cayzer |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New creation | Baron Kylsant 1923-1937 |
Extinct |
