Clive Bourne
Sir Clive Bourne (27 September 1942 in Stoke Newington, London – 10 January 2007 in Nevis, West Indies) was a British businessman and philanthropist, particularly known for his work on city academies.
Early life
Clive Bourne was born in a Stoke Newington hospital, but his family was from Ilford; his father, Moss Bourne, was a founder of Ilford Synagogue. He was educated at William McEntee School, Walthamstow but left school at 15, and worked in an import-export business.
Career
He realised the need to speed up deliveries between the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, and in 1962 set up an overnight parcel service, Seabourne Express Courier. It became one of the largest firms of its type, and won Queen's Awards for export achievement in 1981 and 1988. His success meant that he was attacked by the Arab Boycott Office, which demanded that he stop services to Israel; he refused.
He helped to build Kent International Airport's passenger terminal, and when it opened in 1989 he named the VIP lounge after local Jewish philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore.
Charitable work
Sir Clive always used his wealth to assist Jewish and other charities. He was a founder patron of Jewish Care and a founder and governor of King Solomon High School, Barkingside.
Following his diagnosis with prostate cancer in 1991, he founded the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation. In 1996, he helped to found the Museum of Docklands; a gallery is named after his mother-in-law, Esther Ingram. In 2002, he bought Hackney Downs School (which had closed in 1995) and engaged Sir Richard Rogers to convert it into a city academy; it is called Mossbourne Community Academy in memory of his father. He took a close interest in it, and visited frequently.
He was knighted in 2005.
Other
He was a Justice of the Peace in the London Borough of Newham from 1990 (chairman, 1995).
He claimed to have the UK's largest collection of inkwells.
He died of prostate cancer.
References
- Who's Who 2007
- Jewish Chronicle obituary, 19 January 2007, p. 45