Aitken, John William Maxwell Bt, 1910-1985
- GB-2014-WSA-02003
- Person
- 1910-1985
Aitken, Sir John William Maxwell Bt, son of William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook PC, newspaper proprietor, and his first wife Gladys, d. of Brig.-Gen. Charles William Drury CB of Halifax, Nova Scotia; b. 15 Feb. 1910; adm. Jan. 1924 (R); left July 1928; Pemb. Coll. Camb., matric. 1928; played football for Cambridge 1930 and 1931; dir. Beaverbrook Newspapers Ltd, chairman 1964-77, pres. 1977; RAuxAF 1935, RAF 1939-45 (Group Capt.); DFC 1940, DSO 1942, Czech War Cross, despatches; fighter pilot during Battle of Britain, commanded night fighter squadron 1941-2, strike Mosquito wing Norwegian waters 1943; succ. father as 2nd Baronet 9 June 1964, but disclaimed succession to Barony; MP (C) Holborn 1945-50; dir. Assoc. TV Corpn and Price Bros Ltd; m. 1st 26 Aug. 1939 Cynthia, d. of Col. Hugh Glencairn Monteith OBE DSO RAMC; 2nd 15 Aug. 1946 Jane (formerly wife of Peter Lindsay), d. of Maj. Robert Orlando Rudolph Kenyon-Slaney, of Halton Grange, Shropshire; 3rd 1 Jan. 1951 Violet, d. of Sir Humphrey de Trafford, Bt; d. 30 Apr. 1985.