Arms: Parted per fess Or and Gules, in chief a shamrock slipped and a thistle slipped and leaved proper, and in base a cornucopia the horn Or and the fruit proper.
Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, KCVO, 1st Bt. born 10 May 1848 in Glasgow, Scotland was a Scot of Scotch Irish parents from Ulster County, Northern Ireland. He was a self-made man, merchant, and yachtsman, and engaged in extensive advertising for his chain of grocery stores and his brand of Lipton teas. He boasted that his secret for success was selling the best goods at the cheapest prices, harnessing the power of advertising, and always being optimistic.
He was the most persistent challenger in the history of the America’s Cup. King Edward VII and King George V both shared their interest in yachting with Lipton and enjoyed his company. Between 1899 and 1930 he challenged the American holders of the America’s Cup through the Royal Ulster Yacht Club five times with his yachts named Shamrock through Shamrock V. His well-publicized efforts to win the cup earned him a specially designed cup for “the best of all losers”, and made his tea famous in the United States.
It is to be noted that of all his yachts, Shamrock V, a 130+ foot “J Boat” still exists having gone a through a number of owners and restorations and is currently as we write this article, “For Sale” for something over $6,800,000.
A smiling genial Sir Thomas graced the cover of “Time” magazine on 3 November 1924 ! Sir Thomas never married and thus had no heirs, he died at age 83 on 2 October 1931.
We wish to credit the internet articles, especially the Wikipedia article, for their information regarding Sir Thomas, which we plagiarized shamelessly.
The artwork is a rendering of John Hamilton Gaylor.
2020 0625
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