Rennie Stephenson

Bank: London County & Westminster Bank

Place of work: Head Office, London

Died: 16 November 1916

Rennie Stephenson was born on 30 March 1884, the son of Reuben and Fannie Stowe Stephenson. In December 1902 he went to work for London & Westminster Bank at its London City office. In August 1909 he was transferred to the bank's head office. That same month London & Westminster Bank merged with London & County Bank, and Stephenson became an employee of the enlarged London County & Westminster Bank.

Stephenson was a talented athlete, and a prominent member of the bank's staff sports club. He served as honorary secretary of the rugby club, and later as assistant honorary secretary of the sports club. He played for the bank's first XV rugby team, and also participated in cricket, tennis and boxing.

At the outbreak of the First World War Stephenson joined the Royal Fusiliers. Within weeks he became an non-commissioned officer, and was later commissioned into the same regiment, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant.

Lieutenant Stephenson was killed in action in France on 16 November 1916. He was 32 years old. His obituary in the bank's staff magazine noted that 'with his rather long face, keen grey eyes and a deep forehead, he was a man of much ability and a born leader of men... He had a great zest in life, with an almost Puritanic conception of right and wrong, and neither friend nor argument could deflect him from what he considered was the right course. He was an Englishman that England had every reason to be proud of, and it will be a bad day for England if his type ever die out.'