Arnold Ziff
{{Short description|British businessman and philanthropist (1927–2004)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
Israel Arnold Ziff OBE (31 January 1927 – 14 July 2004) was a British businessman and philanthropist, who particularly donated to good causes within Leeds, West Yorkshire. He was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1979 and received an OBE in 1981.[http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/browse/572/951/6003/3/1090/0/ Burke's Landed Gentry - the Ridings of York] From 1991 to 1992 he was High Sheriff of West Yorkshire.{{cite book | last = Omerod | first =W.M. | title =The Lord Lieutenants & High Sheriffs of Yorkshire 1066-2000| publisher =Department of History of the University of York| year = 2000 | url =http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/index.php?product_id=423| isbn = 1-871647-74-6}}
Life
Ziff's family was of Russian origin. He was born 31 January 1927 in Leeds[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/jul/30/guardianobituaries.martinwainwright Guardian 30 July 2004] Arnold Ziff and attended both Roundhay School and Leeds University, where he studied economics, but did not complete the degree, being called up for national service.[http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/press_releases/current/ziff_building.htm Leeds Reporter] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123104617/http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/press_releases/current/ziff_building.htm |date=2007-11-23 }} Ziff Building He inherited his father's shoe company Stylo, and formed property company Town Centre Securities in 1959.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110611192120/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article463818.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=1 Times Online] 31 July 2004 A notable development was the Merrion Centre, Leeds.
In 1952 he married Marjorie Esther Morrison (born 26 May 1929[http://www.thejc.com/community/community-life/marjorie-ziff-birthday-gift-%C2%A316m Jewish Chronicle] 27 May 2009). They had 2 sons, Michael (born 1953) and Edward (born 1960) who continued his business, as CEOs of Stylo and Town Centre Securities respectively. Arnold and Marjorie also had a daughter, Ann Louise
Arnold's wife, Marjorie Ziff received an MBE in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to the community in Leeds.{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12090365 | work=BBC News | title=New Year Honours unveiled | date=31 December 2010}}
Benefactions
File:Ziff Building 3 27 August 2017.jpg]]
Ziff was a major sponsor of Tropical World, Roundhay Park which is now named after him. Likewise his gifts to the University of Leeds are commemorated in the Marjorie and Arnold Ziff building, which is home to student services at the university after being formally opened in 2009. He gave to Jewish welfare organizations, and is commemorated in the Marjorie and Arnold Ziff Community Centre in Moortown, Leeds.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mazcc.co.uk/ |title=Marjorie & Arnold Ziff Centre |access-date=2010-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216013510/http://www.mazcc.co.uk/ |archive-date=2009-12-16 |url-status=dead }} He was also a patron of the arts, and had a collection including items from his friend, Rowland Emett.
Further reading
- Nigel Watson (2005) Arnold Ziff: The Making of a Great Yorkshireman (Vallentine Mitchell) {{ISBN|0-85303-704-3}}
References
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- [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/jul/30/guardianobituaries.martinwainwright Guardian 30 July 2004] Arnold Ziff
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110611192044/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article463818.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1 Timesonline 31 July 2004] It's business as usual, Arnold Ziff's heirs insist
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Category:Businesspeople from Leeds
Category:English people of Russian descent
Category:English philanthropists
Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Category:People educated at Roundhay School
Category:High sheriffs of West Yorkshire