Frederic Seebohm, Baron Seebohm

Frederic Seebohm, Baron Seebohm, TD (18 January 1909 – 15 December 1990), was a British banker, soldier and social work innovator.

Lord Seebohm was the son of Hugh Exton Seebohm and Lesley Gribble, and grandson of the historian Frederic Seebohm, he was born in Hitchin in Hertfordshire. He was educated at Leighton Park School and Trinity College, Cambridge and then joined the Barclays Bank which had taken over the Hitchin Bank founded by his family.^[1] Seebohm served in the Royal Artillery, reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He was mentioned in dispatches and was decorated with the Territorial Decoration.

Having been local director of the bank's branch office in Luton and Birmingham, Seebohm became director of the main board after the war. In 1951, he was made a member of the bank's overseas board and in 1965 chairman of the renamed Barclays Bank International. He retired seven years later.

Seebohm received a knighthood in 1970,^[2] and on 28 April 1972, he was created a life peer as Baron Seebohm, of Hertford in the County of Hertford.^[3] Between 1970 and 1971, he was High Sheriff of Hertfordshire. Seebohm was chairman of the Committee on Local Authority Personal Social Services and of the Overseas Development Institute. He was further president of the National Institute for Social Work, of the Royal African Society and of the Age Concern. He was further chairman of the Joseph Rowntree Memorial Trust for 15 years and one of the founders of the York Council of Voluntary Service. For the London School of Economics and the Haileybury and Imperial Service College, he was governor and chairman of 3i . Seebohm died in a road accident in 1990, his wife a short time after.

In 1932, he married Evangeline Hurst. They had one son and two daughters including Victoria Glendinning.

Arms

Arms of Frederic Seebohm, Baron Seebohm

Crest In front of a Sword erect point upwards proper sheathed Sable between two Roses Argent barbed seeded slipped and leaved proper a Skein of Wool fesswise Argent Escutcheon Or a Balance Sable on a Chief Azure three Bezants Supporters Dexter: a Hart guardant proper collared Or; Sinister: a Ram guardant proper also collared Or Motto COGITA PISCEM

References

1. Banknotes issued by the Hertfordshire Hitchin Bank can still be purchased by collectors
2. The London Gazette: no. 45057. p. 2855. 10 March 1970.
3. The London Gazette: no. 45662. p. 5229. 2 May 1972.

• Hampshire County Council (1991-01-18). "Meeting of the Social Services Committee". Archived from the original on 16 November 2004. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
• The Times. "Obituary". Retrieved 2007-01-26.