Leonard Wolfson, Baron Wolfson

Leonard Gordon Wolfson, Baron Wolfson (11 November 1927 – 20 May 2010) was a British businessman, the former chairman of GUS, and son of GUS magnate Sir Isaac Wolfson, 1st Baronet. He is the father of Janet Wolfson de Botton.

Key Information

The Right Honourable The Lord Wolfson FRS HonFREng
Chairman, Great Universal Stores
In office 1981–1996
Managing Director, Great Universal Stores
In office 1962–1981
Personal details
Born	Leonard Gordon Wolfson 11 November 1927
Died	20 May 2010(2010-05-20) (aged 82)
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He attended The King's School, Worcester, from 1942 to 1945.^[1] He married Ruth Sterling in 1949; they were married for 41 years and had four daughters. After they divorced, he married Estelle Jackson in 1991.^[2]

Having been knighted in 1977,^[3] he was created a Life Peer on 13 June 1985 with the title Baron Wolfson, of Marylebone in the City of Westminster.^[4] He was a member of the Conservative Party. On the death of his father in 1991, Lord Wolfson succeeded as 2nd Baronet (styled "of St Marylebone in the County of London"). He was granted a leave of absence from the House of Lords from 2008.

He was Chairman of the Wolfson Foundation. He was elected an Honorary Fellow of the British Academy in 1986, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society in 2005^[5] and in 1997 he was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.^[6] He was also an Honorary Fellow of three Oxford colleges, Wolfson College (named after his father Isaac Wolfson), St Catherine's College, and Worcester College.^[7]

He died on 20 May 2010.^{[8][9][10][11]} Having no sons, his baronetcy became extinct upon his death.

Wolfson was a philanthropist, supporting many causes: he was president of the Jewish Welfare Board, and a trustee of the Imperial War Museum. The Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation was set up in 2012, and continues to support scientific and medical research, education and the arts.^[12]

Coat of arms of Leonard Wolfson, Baron Wolfson

Crest In front of two Rods of Aesculapius in saltire proper a Torch inflamed also proper Escutcheon Per pale dovetailed Vert and Or on a Chevron counterchanged between two Roses also Or and Gules respectively and in base an Ancient Hand Bell proper two Pears Sable and Gold Motto Omnibus Rebus Cura Et Provide (Care and provide for all things)

1. ^ The King's School, Worcester, OVs 1900–1949, The King's School, Worcester, UK.
2. ^ "Lord Wolfson obituary | Business | The Guardian". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
3. ^ "No. 47415". The London Gazette. 23 December 1977. p. 16073.
4. ^ "No. 50167". The London Gazette. 18 June 1985. p. 8355.
5. ^ Ramsbottom, Paul (2022). "Lord Wolfson of Marylebone. 11 November 1927—20 May 2010". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 72: 431–445. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2021.0035. S2CID 246652879.
6. ^ "List of Fellows 2001/2002". RAEng: 14.
7. ^ Hermione Lee, "Obituaries: Lord Wolfson (1927–2010)". Wolfson College Record, 2010 Archived 22 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, pages 26–28.
8. ^ "Lord Wolfson". 21 May 2010.
9. ^ The Times
10. ^ Obituary — Lord Wolfson: businessman and philanthropist^{[dead link]}, The Times, 24 May 2010.
11. ^ Obituaries — Leonard Wolfson: Businessman and philanthropist, The Independent, 4 June 2010.
12. ^ "Welcome". The Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation. Retrieved 21 August 2021.

Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Isaac Wolfson	Baronet (of St Marylebone) 1991–2010	Extinct

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