Thomas Shaw, 3rd Baron Craigmyle


Thomas Shaw, 3rd Baron Craigmyle, was a British aristocrat, a prominent convert to Roman Catholicism and a philanthropist.

Early life

Thomas Donald Mackay Shaw, The Lord Craigmyle, was the son of the 2nd Baron Craigmyle and born on 17 November 1923.
He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Oxford, obtaining a Master of Arts degree. In 1943, he became a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, serving until 1946.

Personal life

In 1955 he married the artist Anthea Esther Christine Rich, daughter of Canon Edward Rich. She grew up in Chiswick, studied at the Chelsea School of Art, before travelling to India where she met and married Lord Craigmyle. He followed his wife in converting to Roman Catholicism in 1956.
They had four sons and three daughters.
Their second son The Hon Thomas Columba Shaw is now the current Baron Craigmyle. His youngest son Dr. Joseph Shaw is the current chairman of the Latin Mass Society.
Craigmyle struggled with alcoholism, and following his recovery was committed to charitable work helping addicts, the homeless and the destitute.

Career

He was chairman Craigmyle & Co Ltd, and Claridge Mills Ltd, and director of Inchape & C Ltd. Clubs: Royal Thames Yacht Club, Caledonian Club, Bengal. Membership of other associations: Royal Society of Arts, Venerable Order of Saint John, and President of the British Association of the Order of Malta.
Lord Craigmyle was "one of Britain's most philanthropic Roman Catholic laymen. A convert...with a deep piety and astonishing personal generosity, to the great benefit of the numerous causes he supported" .
He died on 30 April 1998.

Honours and awards