Jeremy_Hosking

Jeremy Hosking

Jeremy Hosking

British businessman and political donor (born 1958)


Jeremy John Hosking (born 20 July 1958) is a British businessman and political donor. Ranked number 351 in the Sunday Times Rich List 2019, with a net worth of £375 million, he is a shareholder in Crystal Palace F.C. and a noted railway enthusiast. He has donated heavily to the Reclaim Party.

Quick Facts Born, Nationality ...

Education and career

Hosking was educated at Rugby School and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he studied geography.[1] After graduating in 1979, he served as a director and portfolio manager with GT Capital Management, dealing in southeast Asian investments.

Hosking was a founding shareholder in Marathon Asset Management, established in 1986.[2] In 2012, Hosking set up Dublin-listed asset manager Hosking & Co.[3] Marathon Asset Management accused Hosking of breaching contractual and fiduciary duties while working there because he discussed plans for a new business with other employees. In 2015, Hosking was ordered to pay £1.38 million in damages, and a further £10.4 million; half of the profits Hosking received for the period between July and December 2012. Hosking unsuccessfully appealed, arguing profit shares could not be forfeited.[4]

Private investments

In March 2011, Hosking bought Gravetye Manor, a West Sussex country house hotel, out of administration.[5]

In August 2010, Hosking was part of a four-man consortium that bought Crystal Palace F.C. out of administration.[6] On 18 December 2015, it was announced that American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer had bought a major share holding in the club.[7] Whilst Steve Parish continued as chairman alongside Harris and Blitzer, fellow CPFC 2010 investors Browett, Long and Hosking each retained a reduced 8% investment.[8]

He was ranked number 351 in the Sunday Times Rich List 2019, with a net worth of £375 million.[9]

Railways

6100 Royal Scot

Hosking is a noted railway enthusiast, having purchased a number of main-line steam locomotives including 4464 Bittern, 6024 King Edward I, 6100 Royal Scot, 60532 Blue Peter and 70000 Britannia and founded the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust.[10][11]

In 2014, Hosking purchased the London & North Western Railway Heritage business from Pete Waterman[12] and took out a lease on Crewe Diesel TMD[13] that became the base for heritage train operation Locomotive Services Limited in 2017.[14][15] In 2016, Hosking purchased a 30% shareholding in the Dartmouth Steam Railway[16] and in 2017 purchased the former Hornby Railways factory in Margate to establish the One:One Collection museum.[17][18]

Political activity

A long time Conservative Party donor, Hosking donated £1.7 million to Vote Leave in 2016 and supported pro-Brexit candidates in the 2017 general election.[19]

In February 2019, Hosking submitted the paperwork to found a new party called Brexit Express, which would welcome Conservative Party MPs unhappy with Theresa May's Brexit plans. At the same time, he launched a public campaign in favour of a no-deal Brexit.[20] Hosking has made major donations to the Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage.[21][22] He became the founding donor to the Reclaim Party led by Laurence Fox.[23][24] In the first quarter of 2021, he gave the Reclaim Party more than £1,000,000 in cash and services.[23] In December 2021, newspapers reported he would continue to fund the Reclaim Party.[25]

Hosking is listed in the Parliamentary register of interests as having donated legal services to Andrew Bridgen MP to the value of £4,470,576.42 in December 2023, "the costs of which will be repaid to the donor on an interest-free basis."[26]

Personal life

Hosking has been married to Elizabeth since 1993;[27] they co-own Gravetye Manor[9][28] after spending their wedding night there and becoming long-standing guests.[29][30]


References

  1. "Cambridge University tripos results", The Times, 23 June 1978, p. 6. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. hosking. "Hosking Partners LLP".
  3. Walsh, Dominic. "Hosking stokes up luxury hotel purchase". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  4. "Long live Crystal Palace" Archived 1 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Daniel Jones, This is Croydon Today
  5. "Investment Deal Is Signed". Crystal Palace F.C. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  6. Locos Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust
  7. Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust Financial Statements for year ended 31 March 2010] Companies House
  8. News Heritage Railway issue 187 March 2014 page 10
  9. Hosking to lease Crewe depot Railways Illustrated issue 135 May 2014 page 10
  10. Licence granted for new operator Rail issue 835 13 September 2017 page 19
  11. First LS tour Today's Railways UK issue 197 May 2018 page 68
  12. Dartmouth line becomes a private limited company Steam Railway September 2016 page 10
  13. Walsh, Dominic (15 March 2017). "Hosking snaps up Hornby site to store his train set". The Times. London. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  14. Savage, Michael (17 February 2019). "No-dealers dig in for a fresh battle amid fears of Tory split". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  15. Busby, Mattha (11 May 2019). "Tory donor gives £200,000 to Nigel Farage's Brexit party". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  16. Walker, Peter (3 June 2021). "Laurence Fox's political party received almost same donations as Lib Dems". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021.
  17. Penna, Dominic; Hope, Christopher (13 December 2021). "Former Conservative donor to pump further £5m into Laurence Fox's Reclaim Party". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  18. Patrick W. Montague-Smith, ed. (1995). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Debrett's Peerage Limited. p. 941.
  19. Duncan, Fiona (March 2020). "Another country". The Critic.
  20. Harmer, Janet (6 September 2013). "Gravetye Manor joins Pride of Britain".

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Jeremy_Hosking, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.