GUINNESS, Jonathan. Requiem for a Family Business

London: Macmillan Publishers, 1997. First edition. .pp. vii, 390. Publisher’s black cloth boards, gilt title to spine, in original illustrated dust-jacket with harp device. A very good copy.

A revealing insider account of the transformation—and ultimate loss of control—of the historic Guinness brewing empire by a member of the founding family. Written by Jonathan Guinness (later 3rd Lord Moyne), the book offers a personal and sometimes controversial perspective on the corporate struggles that reshaped one of Ireland’s most famous family businesses.

The narrative traces the long evolution of the Guinness enterprise founded by Arthur Guinness at St James’s Gate in Dublin in 1759, and examines the gradual shift from a closely held family firm to a modern multinational corporation. Particular attention is given to the turbulent events of the late twentieth century, including boardroom tensions, the battle for corporate control, and the famous “Guinness share-trading scandal” of the 1980s that accompanied the company’s takeover of Distillers.

Jonathan Guinness writes both as historian and participant, reflecting on the changing culture of large corporations and the difficulties faced by traditional family dynasties in maintaining influence within publicly traded companies. The book also includes reflections on the personalities involved in the struggle for power within Guinness PLC and the broader transformation of the brewing industry during the late twentieth century.

A notable modern work on the history of the Guinness family and brewery, offering a rare insider perspective on one of the most dramatic episodes in British and Irish corporate history.

[WR Food & Drink]