Douglas Morpeth

Who was Douglas Morpeth?

Sir Douglas Morpeth.

Sir Douglas was born in Perth, Scotland and educated at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. On leaving school in 1942, he volunteered for the army and subsequently served in the Royal Artillery in India, Burma and Malaya. He was demobilised in 1947 with the rank of Captain. He attended Edinburgh University from 1947 to 1949 where he obtained a Business Studies degree. Whilst at Edinburgh University, Sir Douglas met Anne Rutherford Bell whom he subsequently married in May 1951 after which they moved to London.

He joined the Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest regiment in the British Army, in 1951 and he commanded the 1st Regiment HAC, Royal Horse Artillery, from 1964 to 1966. He was appointed Master Gunner within the Tower of London in 1966, a position he held until 1969. He was awarded the Territorial Decoration in 1959.

Sir Douglas qualified as an English Chartered Accountant and joined George A. Touche & Co, one of the few accounting firms in the UK at that time with international presence in the US and Canada. He was made a Partner in 1958 and was appointed its Senior Partner in 1977, a position he held until his retirement from the firm in 1984.