Bro Keith Kaye revealed a saga of high society living, unsuccessful business deals, fraud, adultery, extradition, and imprisonment. It was the second Lord Terrington who achieved this scandalous notoriety, which the press in the 1920’s were delighted to expose.

The culprit was by name Harold James Selborne Woodhouse, whose ancestors hail from Flamborough. and there were two from that dynasty present to hear Bro Keith’s talk.

Woodhouse was born in Hull, trained as a solicitor, and established a practice in Mayfair. Through family links he became advisor to both the Wilson shipping and the Reckitt industrialist families both based around Hull.

Bro Keith explained the close business links Woodhouse established with Percy Newbound, who owned the Alexandra Hotel for a while, and developed several local entertainment linked properties. Some unsavory business practices and failures were involved.

Woodhouse inherited his “rags to riches” father’s title in 1921 to become the second Lord Terrington.  He had a large opulent house overlooking the Thames and was living a high society life in the roaring twenties with his second wife.

By 1926 things were starting to fall apart. An unsavoury divorce, and financial and health problems made him a daily source of material for every newspaper. Bro Keith recounted how he moved to Monte Carlo with his much younger and twice married lover to avoid a scheduled bankruptcy hearing.

Claims of ill health delayed his return, but eventually in 1928 he faced the crowds and the courts and was found guilty of 48 counts of fraudulent conversion. He was sentenced to four years in jail.

Bro Keith said that claims amounting to £30m in today’s money were made against him, a large slice of that by the Wilson and Reckitt families.  However, settlements to claimants in 1933 amounted to less than a penny in the pound.

Bro Garry Sunley gave the vote of thanks for an admirable presentation.