Sir Arthur Munro Sutherland (1867-1953)
1953 Obituary [1]
It is with regret that we record the death of Sir Arthur Sutherland, Bart., K.B.E., D.C.L., in his eighty-sixth year, which occurred on Sunday, March 29th.
Arthur Munro Sutherland, who was a leading ship owner and coal exporter and closely associated with both the civic and commercial life of Newcastle upon Tyne, was born on ll October 2, 1867, and was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, of which he was later to become a Governor.
He was engaged in the business of shipping all his life and, from early beginnings with a ship-broking firm, he went on to achieve considerable success in the field of commerce and, by his industry, business acumen and sound judgment of the shipping market, established the cargo shipping company of B. J. Sutherland and Co., Ltd.
As a prominent shipowner, Sir Arthur was closely connected with national bodies concerned with shipping and was president of the Chamber of Shipping in 1930 and occupied the same position with the Shipping Federation for the space of twelve years, from 1938 to 1950. He was also a member of the committee of Lloyd's Register of Shipping and of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.
Sir Arthur took an active interest in the civic affairs of Newcastle upon Tyne and served on the City Council for a number of years, becoming Sheriff in 1917 and, two years later, was elected Lord Mayor.
In 1943 he held the office of High Sheriff of Northumberland and for some time was a Justice of the Peace for the City and County of Newcastle, of which city he was given the honorary freedom. He was a generous subscriber to public funds and provided considerable sums of money towards the cost of forming medical and dental schools in the city as part of the University of Durham.
In addition to being chairman of his own shipping company, Sir Arthur was associated in that capacity with Donkin and Co., Ltd., and was a director of John Bowes and Partners, Ltd.
He also served a term as chairman of the Tyne Improvement Commissioners and of the Newcastle and Gateshead Chamber of Commerce. Shortly after the first world war he was made a K.B.E. and one year later, in 1921, was created the first baronet; he was also honoured by being appointed Knight Commander, with star, of the Order of St. Olaf, Norway.