Alfred Instone

Alfred Instone (1883-12 December 1957).

Born in Kent, he as the third son of Adolph Instone (originally Einstein) (1845-92) and Maria née Jacob. His grandfather was an importer active in the City of London, and he became a director of the Instone family group of companies. These included coal mines and airlines: the latter eventually becoming Imperial Airways. During the First World War he served in the intelligence branch of the Imperial General Staff, reaching the rank of captain.

He became a justice of the peace for the County of London and a member of Paddington Borough Council and served as Mayor of Paddington in 1927-28. A member of the Conservative Party, he twice stood unsuccessfully for election to parliament.

He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Loriners, he was elected to the Common Council of the City of London Corporation in 1938, and was a freeman of the city. He died suddenly after collapsing at a meeting of the Common Council in 1957, aged 74.