Geoffrey Dodsworth

Geoffrey Hugh Dodsworth (born 7 June 1928) is a well-respected and successful former merchant banker and British Conservative Party politician.

Educated at St. Peter's School, York, Dodsworth began his working life in 1945 as an article clerk and subsequently a Chartered Accountant at Barron & Barron in York.

After two years' service in the army, from 4 July 1946 to 26 August 1948, Dodsworth returned to Barron & Barron where he worked on a number of major business activities for large estates in Yorkshire and London until 1963.

He married his first wife, Isabel Neale, in 1949, who died in September 1967 after a long illness. They had one daughter, Helen. Whilst at Barron & Barron, Geoffrey also became Justice of the Peace for York in 1960 - at just 32, he was one of the youngest ever magistrates for the city.

Dodsworth set up a group of companies in the export and import trade in 1963 and travelled extensively in Ottawa, New York and Washington, developing these businesses.

Always intrigued and passionate about politics, Dodsworth became Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group on York City Council in 1964 and was a member of the Council for six years, serving on major committees specialising in financial matters.

In 1970, he joined William Brandt’s Sons & Co. Ltd. Dodsworth married his second wife, Elizabeth Beeston, in 1971. They had Simon on 15 January 1972 and Mary on 1st January 1974. He became Managing Director of Grindlay Brandt’s Ltd. (a Merchant Bank), in 1974, and also in the same year became Director of Grindlays Bank Ltd. (now ANZ). Dodsworth made presentations on behalf of the UK leasing Industry with the British Export Council in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Iran and India.

Dodsworth was Member of Parliament for South West Hertfordshire from February 1974 to October 1979, when he resigned on medical advice. Richard Page was elected to succeed him in the subsequent by-election.

He held office in the backbench Shipping and Shipbuilding Committees and was Joint Secretary of the Finance Committee. Geoffrey also served on the Select Committees on The Wealth Tax and Statutory Instruments.

In 1980, Dodsworth was made President and co-Chief Executive of Oceanic Finance Corporation Ltd., based in Bermuda.

He then moved on to become Chairman and Chief Executive of Jorvik Finance Corporation Ltd., in Bermuda, in 1988, and set up Dodsworth and Company Ltd. in 1988, under personal control, specialising in equity and bank funding for asset and project finance. One of his biggest deals was negotiating the sale of a cable and telephone franchise to Cable & Wireless.

Dodsworth was Director of a quoted Property Company for three years in the 1990s and worked with First International Shipping Corporation in the late 1990s. He then moved on to doing consultancy work for WRDC Limited, a computer software company

Dodsworth was Chairman of the Vale of York constituency Association in 1998 and stood for the North Yorkshire County Council in 1997. In October 2002 Dodsworth underwent a heart bypass after which he retired.

Dodworth is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, was Chairman and founder of the UK Equipment Leasing Association and Vice-Chairman of the European Leasing Federation. He is a Freeman of the City of London and acted as Trustee on a number of Family Trusts.

References

• Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1979
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Geoffrey Dodsworth