Howard Frank

For the computer networking pioneer, see Howard Frank (network engineer).

Sir
Howard Frank
Bt GBE KCB
Director-General of Lands to the War Office, Air Ministry and Ministry of Munitions
In office
1917–1922
Personal details
Born
Howard George Frank

(1871-11-10)10 November 1871
Blackhurst Park, Pembury, Kent, England
Died10 January 1932(1932-01-10) (aged 60)
Cheyne Walk, London, England
OccupationEstate agent

Sir Howard George Frank, 1st Baronet, GBE, KCB (10 November 1871 – 10 January 1932) was an English estate agent and public servant. He was a co-founder of Knight Frank.[1][2]

Frank was born at Blackhurst Park, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the son of Frederick Frank.[3] He was educated at Marlborough College and then entered the estate agency profession, in which he remained all his life, eventually becoming recognised as the "head" of the profession in Britain. He was head of the firms of Knight, Frank & Rutley of London and Walton & Lee of Edinburgh and was president of the Estate Agents' Institute from 1910 to 1912.[1]

In 1916, he was appointed honorary adviser to the Ministry of Munitions on land valuation. The following year he became Director-General of Lands to the War Office and Air Ministry as well as the Ministry of Munitions, holding the post until 1922. After the First World War he also served as deputy chairman and then chairman of the Disposals Board (later Disposal and Liquidation Commission), which was charged with disposing of surplus war materiel. He served on a number of public committees and Royal Commissions in the 1920s and 1930s.[2] Frank was a member of the committee that built and opened London's first public golf courses in Richmond Park, which were opened in 1923 and 1925.

Frank was knighted in 1914,[4] appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1918 Birthday Honours,[5] and created a baronet in the 1920 Birthday Honours for his wartime services.[6][7] He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 1924 Birthday Honours, for public service.[8]

He died suddenly of a heart attack after dinner at his home in Cheyne Walk, London. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eight-year-old son Howard.

  1. ^ a b Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 1485. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  2. ^ a b "Obituary: Sir Howard Frank". The Times. 11 January 1932. p. 14.
  3. ^ "Blackhurst Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  4. ^ "No. 28806". The London Gazette. 24 February 1914. p. 1546.
  5. ^ "No. 30723". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1918. p. 6528.
  6. ^ "No. 31931". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1920. p. 6314.
  7. ^ "No. 32035". The London Gazette. 31 August 1920. p. 8860.
  8. ^ "No. 32941". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1924. p. 4414.