HK Wentworth Announces Loss of Lady Patricia Kingsbury (1919 – 2017)

HK Wentworth Ltd, holding company for Electrolube and AF International brands, announces the sad death of former company President, Lady Patricia Kingsbury. Lady Patricia died peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of Saturday 16th December 2017.

Born Lady Patricia Mary Charlemont French, the former company President was granddaughter of Field Marshall Sir John French, 1st Earl of Ypres. Lady Patricia took an active role in developing the Company with her husband, Henry Kingsbury. After his death in 1980 she maintained a pivotal role in the financial management of the business until her retirement in 2007.

The HK Wentworth brands have a heritage stretching back to 1941, when Henry Kingsbury formed Kingsbury Components to manufacture volume controls. It was at this time that Henry formulated a specialist synthetic oil that enhanced the electrical performance and lifetime of contact surfaces and switches in addition to reducing friction on moving parts. This worldwide breakthrough was the catalyst for the development of a whole range of contact lubricants, forming the basis of the company now known as Electrolube.

Ron Jakeman, HK Wentworth’s Managing Director, comments, “Lady Patricia commanded a great deal of respect and will be sadly missed. Our thoughts and condolences are with the Kingsbury family at this very sad time.”
Her son, Gerald Kingsbury, current Chairman of HK Wentworth said, “Without her crucial contribution, particularly in the early days, we would not be where we are today. Although she worked incredibly hard, she was always full of fun. She really loved the company and everyone involved in it.”