George Touche

Sir George Alexander Touche, 1st Baronet (24 May 1861–7 July 1935), born George Alexander Touch (he added the final "e" in 1906 because people continually mispronounced his name), was a British accountant and politician. He founded one of the firms which amalgamated to create Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

Touche was born in Edinburgh, the son of a banker. He was educated at the Bonnington Academy, the Edinburgh Institute and the University of Edinburgh and was indentured to a chartered accountant in 1878. In 1883 he was admitted to the Society of Accountants in Edinburgh and immediately left for London, joining the firm of Broads, Patterson & May. In 1889 he was appointed first secretary of the Industrial and General Trust, later becoming manager, director in 1898, and chairman in 1908. He also became director and chairman of many other companies. In 1899 he founded his own practice, George A. Touch & Co.

In 1910 he was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for North Islington, but retired due to ill-health in 1918.

He was knighted in 1917 and created a baronet for his political services in the 1920 Birthday Honours.

References

*Biography, "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"