Weston family
The Weston family of Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom is a prominent family of businesspeople with global interests primarily in food and clothing businesses.[1] The family operations began with the purchase of a bakery in 1884 by George Weston in Toronto, Ontario.[2] The family's productions remained prominent throughout two World Wars.
Through George Weston Limited and various holding companies, the Canadian branch of the Weston family owns or controls over 200 companies, including Canada's largest supermarket chain, Loblaws. Among their other businesses, members of this branch own or control a number of retailers, including upscale department stores Holt Renfrew in Canada, Brown Thomas in Ireland and Selfridges in the United Kingdom.
The main holding company of the British branch of the family is Wittington Investments. 79.2% of this company belongs to a British charitable trust called the Garfield Weston Foundation, with the balance owned by various family members. Wittington Investments owns a majority stake in Associated British Foods (which itself owns the discount clothing chain Primark), and 100% of retailers Fortnum & Mason and Heal's.
Wealth
In 2018, the Westons were named Ireland's richest family for the tenth year running, with a wealth of €11.42 billion.[3]
In the Sunday Times Rich List 2020 ranking of the wealthiest people in the UK, "Guy Weston, Galen Weston Jr., George G. Weston and family" were placed 8th with an estimated family fortune of £10.53 billion.[4]
Family members
- George Weston (1864–1924), married Emma Maud Richards; six children (of whom two sons and two daughters survived childhood),[2] including:
- W. Garfield Weston (1898–1978),[5] married Reta Lila Howard (1897–1967); nine children:
- Miriam Louise Weston (1922–2008),[6] married Charles Ryland Burnett Jr. (1918–2004);[7] one child:
- Charles Ryland Burnett III (1956–2018)[8]
- George Grainger Weston (b. 1923),[9] married the Hon. Caroline Cecily Douglas-Scott-Montagu (1925–2017), daughter of John Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu; five children[10]
- Barbara Elizabeth Weston (d. 2001),[11] married Dr. Robert Ian Mitchell (d. 2002);[12] six children:[13]
- Garfield Mitchell
- Eliza Mitchell
- Mark W. Mitchell[14]
- Emma Susan Mitchell, married Charles Adamo[15][12]
- Sarah Mitchell, married Eric Siebert
- Serena Mitchell
- Garry Weston (1927–2002), married Mary Kippenberger, daughter of Major General Sir Howard Kippenberger; six children:
- Guy Weston (b. 1960)
- Jana Khayat (b. 1961)
- Kate Hobhouse
- George G. Weston (b. 1964)
- Sophia Mason
- Garth Weston
- Nancy Weston, married Stanley Baron
- Wendy Weston, married Leslie Rebanks
- Gretchen Weston, married Humberto Bauta
- Camilla Weston, married Peter Dalglish; three children:[16]
- Kim Dalglish, married Martin Abell
- Geordie Dalglish, married Swith Bell
- Genevieve Kate Dalglish (1970–2017)[16]
- Galen Weston (b. 1940), married Hilary Frayne (b. 1942); two children:
- Alannah Weston (b. January 1972),[17] married Alexander Cochrane, elder son of Sir Marc Cochrane, 4th Baronet
- Galen Weston Jr. (b. December 1972),[18] married Alexandra Schmidt, granddaughter of Thomas J. Bata
- Miriam Louise Weston (1922–2008),[6] married Charles Ryland Burnett Jr. (1918–2004);[7] one child:
- W. Garfield Weston (1898–1978),[5] married Reta Lila Howard (1897–1967); nine children:
See also
- Garfield Weston Foundation (based in the United Kingdom)
- The W. Garfield Weston Foundation (based in Canada)
References
- Forbes: Galen Weston & Family
- Badgley, Kerry (2005). "Weston, George". In Cook, Ramsay; Bélanger, Réal (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. XV (1921–1930) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- "Richest family in Ireland named... you've probably shopped in their stores". IrishCentral.com. 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
- Watts, Robert, ed. (17 May 2020). "The Sunday Times Rich List". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- "Willard Garfield Weston (1898 - 1978)". Find A Grave Memorial. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
- "Miriam Burnett Obituary". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
- "A Guide to the Burnett Family Papers". Burnett Family Papers. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
- "Charles Burnett III Obituary". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
- "George Grainger Weston - Biography". Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- "Caroline Cecily Douglas-Scott-Montagu". Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition. Wilmington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- "Barbara Elizabeth WESTON". Retrieved 2018-08-07.
- "Robert Ian MITCHELL". Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- "Barbara Mitchell". Fraser Institute. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
- "Mark W. Mitchell - Biography". Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- "Emma Susan Adamo - Biography". Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- "Genevieve Dalglish Obituary". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
- "Alannah Weston". Companies House. Retrieved 2019-05-04.
- "Willard Galen Garfield Weston". Companies House. Retrieved 2019-05-04.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theglobeandmail/obituary.aspx?n=barbara-elizabeth-mitchell-weston&pid=189718955&fhid=9911 https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theglobeandmail/obituary.aspx?n=robert-mitchell&pid=189763548&fhid=9911