Robert Renwick, 1st Baron Renwick

Robert Burnham Renwick, 1st Baron Renwick, KBE (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, and his wife Frederica Louisa (née Laing), and succeeded in the baronetcy in 1932. During the Second World War he served as Chairman of the Airborne Forces from 1943 to 1945 and as Controller of Communications at the Air Ministry and of Communications Equipment at the Ministry of Aircraft Production from 1942 to 1945. Renwick's power companies were nationalised by the Labour Government after the war, and he turned his attention to broadcasting. He was extremely influential in the for commercial television in the United Kingdom, and saw a good return from his television interests.^[1] In 1964 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Renwick, of Coombe in the County of Surrey.

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 Anthony Rowe.

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages ^{[self-published source?][better source needed]}
• www.thepeerage.com