Murray David Maitland Keddie

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Murray David Maitland Keddie (27 May 1929 – 18 February 2018), FRSA[1] known as David Keddie, was a prominent Essex businessman, broadcaster, benefactor, magistrate, Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Essex in 1986.[2][3][4][5]

Early life[edit]

Keddie was educated at Summer Fields School, Summertown, Oxford, and Malvern College (at that time housed with Harrow School, as Malvern College was requisitioned by TRE for World War II effort). In the period 1947-51, whilst studying for the Bar, he served in the Inns of Court Regiment, part of the Territorial Force, and then served as a National Service Officer in the 10th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery until 1953.

Business life[edit]

In 1954, he joined Keddies, the family-owned department store in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, as a Director. He managed Keddies for 42 years until it ceased trading in 1996, due to the effect of competition from out-of-town centre shopping malls. During his time in charge he expanded Keddies into a small department store chain during the 60s and 70s.

Whilst at Keddies, in the early 1960s, he pioneered Supa-Save discount stores in Southend. With these he challenged the retail status quo and was instrumental in eventually abolishing the Retail Price Maintenance, or RPM (fixed supplier pricing, see Resale price maintenance), against legal and regulatory opposition. Following a number of injunctions, court cases, and joining forces with other retailers, the RPM was eventually abolished in 1964.[6][7]

Public offices[edit]

Keddie held a number of public offices over the years. In 1972, he was Senior Magistrate for the Southend Bench; in 1983, he was Deputy Lieutenant of Essex[8] and, in 1985-86 he was appointed High Sheriff of Essex (the first holder of the title to come from South Essex).[9] In 1986 he was President of the Essex Show, and continued as Director of the Essex Agricultural Society.[10]

Broadcasting[edit]

In 1981, after unsuccessfully lobbying the BBC to launch a local radio station in Essex, he founded Essex Radio (renamed Heart Essex (Chelmsford & Southend)), and was its first Chairman until 1991[11][12]

Architecture[edit]

He was a proponent of the Modern Movement in Essex, commissioning architects Yorke, Rosenberg & Mardall to design the family home, Ark House (1962) and redevelop the Keddies store in Southend (1960–64).[13] The Keddies store[14] was awarded a Civic Trust Award in 1963[15] and featured in Concrete Quarterly (1963)[16][17]

Pro-bono[edit]

He was also active in charitable, fundraising activities:

  • 1970–1990 Chairman of the Industrial Consultative Council
  • 1979–1990 Chairman of the Palace Theatre Trust
  • 1998–2001 Director, Southend Hospital Charity Foundation[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "G. J. Keddie & Sons Limited". The Directory of Directors. 2001. p. 654.
  2. ^ "Proud Essex man and Keddies founder dies". Chelmsford Weekly News. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Keddies founder and Essex legend dies aged 88". Echo. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Proud Essex man and Keddies founder dies". Gazette. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  5. ^ "High Sheriff - Essex County History". www.highsheriffs.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  6. ^ The Chemist and Druggist, May 5, 1962, p.485
  7. ^ Competition For Consumers, Christina Fulop, George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1966 (pp. 142, 143, 151)
  8. ^ "Deputy Lieutenant Commissions". The London Gazette. 47695: 14108. 24 November 1978.
  9. ^ "Nomination of High Sherrifs 1985". The London Gazette. 50338: 17076. 5 December 1985.
  10. ^ a b "Murray David Maitland KEDDIE - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Tributes Paid To Well-known Essex Businessman". Heart Essex. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Founding chairman of Essex Radio passes away – RadioToday". radiotoday.co.uk. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  13. ^ Essex, James Bettley, Nikolaus Pevsner, Yale University Press, 2007
  14. ^ "Search the Royal Institute of British Architects Image Library | RIBA". RIBApix. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  15. ^ Awards, Civic Trust. "Store of G.J.Keddie & Sons Ltd. With Office Block and Parking Garage | Civic Trust Awards". www.civictrustawards.org.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  16. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ^ "Concrete Quarterly, Winter 1963, p.13" (PDF). Retrieved 28 February 2018.

See also[edit]

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