Tony Garrett
Appointments
Members Gowned with the Livery
John Alexander Clark Compliance Consultant
Lost Brethren
Tony Garrett
19th September 2017
Tony Garrett who died on 24th October 2017 aged 99, was a leader of the British tobacco industry and – as a matter of commercial pragmatism as well as personal enthusiasm – a pioneer in business sponsorship of the arts. Tony became a Freeman of the Company in 1970 and was gowned in the Livery in 1973.
Garrett was chairman and managing director of John Player & Sons from 1968 and chairman of its parent Imperial Tobacco – part of the wider Imperial Group, which also owned consumer brands such as Golden Wonder crisps and Courage beers – from 1973 to 1979.
The group’ s leading cigarette brands, Embassy and Players No 6, accounted for a large chunk of the UK market in an era when more than half of British men and an only slightly lower proportion of women still smoked. But the connections between tar and nicotine, lung cancer and heart disease were by then well established, and cigarette marketing was increasingly constrained.
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The lunch was deliciously catered by Mark Grove and New his Freemen team at Cook & Butler and we cracked along at a goodly pace. Our guests were admirably introduced by Liveryman Fran Morrison and our Principal Mr Tim Allen Guest, Tim Wonnacott gave a generous and
19th September 2017
very Radio humorous Producer reply to which I responded initially by drenching poor Tim in a glass of water- he was very kind about it( sorry Tim!). I was very pleased to Dr show Roy off Gehl the newly found Livery Grant of Arms and Chairman Letters of Patent Dubek which have been missing for many years- our Clerk tenaciously sought 19th September them out, and 2017 Ltd, Israel’ s sole cigarette the manufacturer new Immediate Past Master, Chris Allen, and his IPM, Mark Gower-Smith have funded a beautiful representation and they are now resplendent in frames carved with tobacco leaves( or close to); Sandra also located a huge banner not seen since 1985 and Angus Menzies, Clerk to the Master Mariners and never shy of a challenge saw to it that it was displayed on the Quarterdeck.
Whilst all this was going on, apparently biblicalstyle downpours were being had all over London- oblivious to all that drama we ended our lunch and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee, Cigars Television, and advertising Cognac awaited had been us( I banned did mention in 1965 that, our but Livery sports enjoyed sponsorship dining offered on the an High effective C’ s..) way and which of building seemed brand to hit visibility the mark. Garrett – Liveryman – both a Jemma keen Freeman sportsman had and kindly those provided days an the Embassy torpedo cigars and smallcigar had smoker had them – was placed instrumental souvenir in attaching tubes with the our
and Crest John emblazoned Player name on to it cricket. Several, rugby of us league also sported and golf a competitions limited edition as Livery well as Smoking the Lotus hat Formula- originally 1 team, conceived though new as a rules sort obliged of shooting the company hat, it serves to remove its its purpose“ JPS” livery so well from as the a“ team cars” in hat 1975, that. of the twenty ordered, but one remained by the close of the day! Thank Garrett you also to loved the Master music Mariners, and 1976 for allowing he collaborated us the use with of Lord the venue Goodman, to Tim to for found being the a Association perfect Principal for Guest Business, and Sponsorship for everyone of attending the Arts( and later giving Arts & my year Business such) a – special for which start Imperial. Tobacco initially provided office space and secretarial staff. Other
companies were gradually recruited to what was for most of them at that time an unexplored opportunity
The Master
, and ABSA awards were instituted to celebrate the most imaginative sponsorships. The new venture recognised that commercial support for the arts could rarely be altruistic. Companies expected payback in terms of image and connections