About Us
Keith & Rita Brown
Keith & Rita
Where it all began
Keith’s family came from Woodford and then Gidea Park and Rita’s family from Muswell Hill. Rita was entered for a Miss Young Conservative contest. After a first successful interview she was in the final on the stage at the Royal Albert Hall. She did not win but married one of the judges on 14th April 1972!
Keith & Rita
Careers
Keith was a stockbroker in the City of London while Rita qualified as a bi-lingual secretary as she spoke fluent German. Her mother came from Berlin and her father was a language teacher.
Keith and Rita were both active in the Conservative Party. Keith held a senior role in the National Young Conservatives and stood for Parliament in 1974. He served for 10 years on Brentwood Council and was Mayor (Chairman) in 1984. Rita served on the Ingatestone & Fryerning Committee for many years which included being President.
Keith was a partner in W. Greenwell & Co. and later Managing Director at Morgan Stanley. He specialised in the analysis of banks and finance companies and was recognised as a leading commentator on the market. He combined this with being a Board Member of London Regional Transport responsible for disability travel and later Chairman of the Audit Committee. He was also a non-executive Director of British Aerospace (BAe Systems) for 14 years.
Keith Brown
Life After Retirement
Keith retired from Morgan Stanley in 1999 and in the following years held a portfolio of business and charity roles, and with Rita, established Fryerning Foundation which has donated over £325,000 to local charities. Keith’s sporting roles included Chairman of the Racecourse Association and Treasurer of Essex Cricket Club. He is the Chairman of the Essex Cricket Foundation which is the Club’s charity and which he formed.
Keith has been a Freemason for 50 years serving as Master of lodges on 4 occasions and achieved Grand Rank in the United Grand Lodge in 2019.
In 2015 Keith was appointed as OBE in respect of his work for the community of Essex and charity fundraising.
Keith became a liveryman of the Coopers Company in the City of London and joined the Court to become Master in 2002. This led to him being Deacon of the Incorporation of Coopers in Glasgow in 2008. In 2014 he was approached to take over a role in the Trades House of Glasgow and became its Deacon Convener in 2016 and Glasgow’s Third Citizen. The Trades House of Glasgow is a £20m charity and owns one of the oldest historic buildings in the City. Keith retired from his role in Glasgow in 2021.
Rita Brown
Success with Horses
Rita has been a successful breeder and owner of racehorses and is active as Director of Lyndsay’s Farm Livery, our equine business. She is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farriers and a member of the Incorporation of Hammermen in Glasgow.
Contact Us
Join our mailing list & keep up to date with our latest news and events by signing up.