Sir Hugh Fraser

Sir Hugh Stein Fraser was born in Mauritius in 1863, where his Scottish father was a merchant. The family returned to England shortly after Hugh’s birth and lived in Lee, South-East London. Hugh followed his father’s trade, and spent most of his working life in Madras (now Chennai), India, eventually becoming a partner in the firm of Gordon Woodroffe & Co., a firm established in 1868 with offices in London and Madras.

The firm imported various produce and goods into India, and exported such goods as palmyra fibre (used for brooms and brushes) to the UK. It had branches in five cities in India, as well as factories for the processing of palmyra.

Hugh played an important role in the business life of Madras, the fourth largest city in India, and an important port and trade centre. He was a Member of the Governor of Fort St George, and was knighted in 1911 for his work in ‘making laws and regulations’ in that role. In 1912 he was appointed Consul of Norway at Madras. He was a director of the Bank of Madras and was appointed Sheriff of Madras in 1915.

Hugh had married Fanny Louise in 1904, and they had one daughter, Frances. The family returned to the UK in 1921 and moved into Selwood, where they stayed until Hugh died in September 1944. Lady Fraser moved out of Selwood after her husband’s death, and died in February 1949. They are buried together in St Nicholas churchyard. Frances lived with them at Selwood until in 1937, at the age of 27, she married John Leibenrood. She died in 1985.