Hildebrand Alfred Beresford Harmsworth


Sir Hildebrand Alfred Beresford Harmsworth, 2nd Baronet, known as "Sunny" Harmsworth, was a member of the Harmsworth newspaper publishing family but took no part in the family business.

Early life

Hildebrand Alfred Beresford Harmsworth was born on 27 May 1901, the first son of Hildebrand Aubrey Harmsworth, 1st Baronet, and Kathleen Mary Harmsworth, née Berton. He was educated at Harrow School. By the time of the 1911 census the family were living at First Avenue, Hove, East Sussex. He had three brothers, Ronald Aubrey Leicester Harmsworth, Chamberlain Michael Hildebrand Harmsworth, and Perceval Anthony Thomas Harmsworth.

Family

Harmsworth inherited the baronetage in 1929 on the death of his father from cirrhosis of the liver. He married Elen Billenstein, daughter of Nicolaj Billenstein of Randers, Denmark, in 1925. They had a son, Hildebrand Harold Harmsworth, 3rd Baronet, and a daughter, Ingeborg Kathleen Elen Harmsworth.

Later life

In later life, Harmsworth lived on the income from a Canadian trust, and had houses at Long Island, New York; Florida; and Deepdene, Surrey. He died on 15 November 1977, not having divorced, and left his money to Valerie de Pass, his companion of 40 years, leading to legal action from his estranged wife. In proceedings he was described by the judge as "a restless and self-centered man who could not bear to be alone, and whose life centered on his women friends, fishing, and his need for sun".