Geoffrey Eley

Sir Geoffrey Cecil Ryves Eley (18 July 1904 – 17 May 1990) was a British businessman and writer. He served as a director of the Bank of England, and as High Sheriff of both the County of London and the City of London. Early life and education Eley was born in East Bergholt, Suffolk, one of four sons born to Charles Cuthbert Eley, a barrister and noted gardener, and Ethel Maxwell Ryves. His great-grandfather William Eley co-founded the Eley Brothers. He was the younger brother of Maxwell Eley, a gold medalist in rowing at the 1924 Summer Olympics. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge (BA, 1925; MA, 1947). He also studied at Harvard University in 1925 and 1926. Career He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1947 Birthday Honours for his services following the war, when he was Director of Overseas Disposals, Ministry of Supply. He was appointed to the Court of Directors for the Bank of England in 1949. He was knighted in the 1964 Birthday Honours.