Lionel Fraser

William Lionel Fraser
Born	1895 London, England
Died	2 January 1965
Occupation	Financier
Known for	Self-made millionaire, chairman of merchant bank Herbert Wagg, director of Thomas Tilling, Tube Investments, and Babcock International

William Lionel Fraser CMG (1895 – 2 January 1965) was a British financier and a self-made millionaire.

Early life

Born in London as the second of four siblings, Lionel Fraser was the son of Scotsman Harry Fraser and Alice Barnard. Harry Fraser served as a butler to Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of the Selfridges retail empire.

Fraser received his education at St Mary Abbots higher grade church school in Kensington, London. Subsequently, he earned a scholarship to Pitman's School, where he underwent rigorous training in languages including French, German, and Spanish, alongside shorthand, typing, and accounting.

Career

At the age of sixteen in June 1911, Fraser began his career at Bonn & Co, a modest banking firm focused on foreign exchange, where he managed correspondence and bookkeeping tasks. His professional path was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I; after commissioning as an officer in 1915, an injury led to his transfer from active military service to naval intelligence work.

By the time of World War II, Fraser had risen to prominent positions within the business sector. Throughout the conflict, he engaged in foreign currency trading while providing counsel to the UK Treasury. His directorships included Thomas Tilling, Tube Investments, and Babcock International. Additionally, he chaired the merchant bank Herbert Wagg. Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Fraser held civic and cultural roles such as Chelsea Borough Councillor, Trustee of the Tate Gallery, Liveryman of the Fishmongers' Company, and was a member of White's club.

In 1963, he released his autobiography titled All to the Good.

Personal life

In 1931, Fraser wed Cynthia Elizabeth Walter. The couple had three children: two sons and one daughter. Both sons were educated at Eton College; the elder son Nicholas Fraser established a successful career in finance, whereas the younger son Robert Fraser gained recognition as an influential art dealer known as "Groovy Bob" for his ties to 1960s Swinging London. Their daughter Janet tragically died in a car accident in 1958.

A committed Christian Scientist, Fraser passed away on 2 January 1965 at his residence in London due to bronchial pneumonia and cancer. His memorial service took place on 19 January 1965 at St Botolph without Bishopsgate located in the City of London.