John Kidston Swire, 1893-1983 (Signed)

First edition, first impression.  Signed by Adrian Swire, the son of the subject and editor of the volume, on page 17.   44pp, numerous black and white illustrations, one in colour.  Red cloth-covered boards with gilt titling.  Marbled endpapers.  8vo.  Cloth a little rounded at corners and spine ends.  Various correspondence relating to John Kidston Squire, and his son’s preparation of this volume, has been laid, pasted to the endpapers and blank leaves, as well as a lengthy letter recalling connected events stapled to the back of the front free endpaper.  A poor quality picture of John Kidston Squire and his wife, apparently on a Cathay Pacific plane, taped to the front free endpaper, as well as a small label identifying the volume as ‘amended/corrected, 2014’, and indeed the volume has a few manuscript amendments to pages, apparently in the hand of Adrian Swire.  These additions and amendments suggest that this is Adrian Swire’s ‘working copy’, and that a second edition was perhaps  in preparation.  Aside from the additions, the volume is internally neat, clean, bright and tight.

John Kidston Swire was a prominent British businessman, and long-time Chairman of the global conglomerate John Swire & Sons who lead the company’s diversification into aviation, taking a controlling stake in Cathay Pacific shortly after it was founded.  This volume of his letters is edited by his son Sir Adrian Swire (1932-2018), himself chairman of Swire & Sons until 2004, and on the board of Cathay Pacific from 1965-2005.  His substantial introduction amounts to a biography of his father and provides context for some of the letters reproduced.   A volume, with additions, which amounts to an important piece of commercial aviation history, with very personal connections.