The banking world and the charitable sector in Kent are mourning the loss of Alexander Wishart, a respected former director of Harrods Bank, who has died at the age of 81. His distinguished career in finance was matched by a profound commitment to philanthropy, founding a charity that has supported hundreds of families over a quarter of a century.
From Edinburgh Clerk to Banking Leadership
Alexander (Alex) Wishart was born in Edinburgh to Margaret, a munitions worker, and his father Alexander, a draftsman and RAF sergeant. Raised in Leith and later the suburb of Colinton, he attended Leith Academy and the Royal High School. Though fascinated by aeroplanes and inspired by his father, a Battle of Britain veteran, a different path was chosen for him.
His father arranged a meeting with the manager of the National Commercial Bank on Leith Walk, launching Alex's career at 16 as a junior clerk. His diligence saw him progress, and in 1966, while at the Shandwick Place branch in Edinburgh, he met secretary Myra Thomson. A transfer to London's Lombard Street followed, and the couple married in 1969, settling in Tonbridge, Kent.
Rising to assistant manager at the Piccadilly branch, his reputation for hard work and fairness caught the eye of headhunters. In 1985, he joined the Harrods Trust, where he played a pivotal role as general manager and director in rebranding Harrods Bank, overseeing its move to a state-of-the-art banking hall and developing new computer systems and the Harrods bank card.
A Family Tragedy and a Charitable Vision
Outside of banking, Alex was a skilled carpenter, crafting bunk beds and dolls' houses for his family. This family life was devastatingly altered when his younger daughter, Kelly, was diagnosed with leukaemia. She died in 1997 at the age of 18.
Channeling his grief into action, Alex ran two London Marathons, raising thousands for Children with Leukaemia. Then, in 1999, he and his wife Myra founded Kelly's Trust for Sick Children in their daughter's memory. For the past 25 years, the charity has provided vital support to hundreds of families across Kent who are caring for children with terminal or long-term illnesses.
His charitable work extended further, volunteering weekly with the Kent children's hospice charity Demelza, where he assisted with financial management.
A Lasting Legacy in Finance and Community
After leaving Harrods in 1994, Alex took on the challenge of successfully incorporating the Beirut Riyad Bank as a full UK subsidiary. His final professional role before retiring in 2007 was as financial controller for the fashion agency Gorland. A proud member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland, his career spanned decades of significant change in the industry.
In his later years, he enjoyed travelling with Myra and spending time with his expanding family. Alexander Wishart is survived by his wife Myra, his children Sara and the obituary's author, his four grandchildren Alexander, Edith, May, and Phoebe, and his brothers Iain and Gavin.
His legacy is twofold: a respected career at the pinnacle of British banking, and a deeply personal, enduring charitable mission that transformed personal loss into a source of comfort and practical aid for countless others.
