Find me at: Homestead Park

W3W: ///frogs.booth.woes

Researched by: The Rowntree Society

Designed by: Natalie McKeown

Michael Rowntree (1919-2007) held a number of senior roles in Oxfam and was Chairman from 1971 to 1977, during a time when they delivered their biggest ever aid package and set up the country's first textile recycling plant. A member of the globally renowned York confectionery family, led a full life of public service despite his unassuming character. Born and brought up in Yorkshire, Michael had a lifelong interest in natural history and the environment, especially birding. As a Quaker his life was informed by his faith and the principles of public responsibility, social justice and peace.

Michael’s first career was in newspapers but he was associated with good causes throughout his life, serving in the Friends Ambulance Service during World War II. In York Michael was a Trustee of both the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust. He was also an advocate for the National Health Service and served on Scarborough Health Authority’s governing bodies.

About The Design

❝Michael Rowntree acted with integrity and bravery, showcasing some of the core beliefs that Quakers live by. My design incorporates a dense, dark ground as a contrast to the foreground detail which outlines some key points of importance from Michael’s life: tiny trails of swifts map bird migration routes from the UK to the Middle East – echoing some of the journeys undertaken by Michael during his time in the Friends’ Ambulance Unit; while winding, brightly coloured paths track words of particular significance from Quaker Faith & Practice, foregrounding Michael’s commitment to live by his faith and demonstrate it by his actions.

I was drawn to the description of Michael Rowntree as a Trailblazer – I was brought up in York and went to a Quaker school, and the points of research drawn out by the Rowntree Society’s research chimed with a lot of my experience. I was thrilled to be selected for this commission and for the sculpture to be placed in a location with such significance for the Rowntree family and for the city as a whole! My hope is for the sculpture and setting to bring a little pocket of tranquility to the viewer: take some words of significance away from the experience – let them be “the seed that is sown in your heart” – whether that calls you to action or brings you to a place of peace.❞

Michael Rowntree (1919-2007), proposed by The Rowntree Society, led a full and fascinating life of public service despite his unassuming character. He was born and brought up in Yorkshire, attending Bootham School in York. Michael had a lifelong interest in natural history and the environment, especially birding. He was one of six children, a scion of the Quaker Rowntree and Harvey families, and the great-nephew of Joseph Rowntree, the founder of the world-renowned Rowntree confectionery company. As a Quaker, his life was informed by his faith, and the importance of public responsibility, social justice, and peace were instilled in him from an early age.

During World War Two, he was a conscientious objector and served in the Friends Ambulance Unit in Finland, the Middle East, and Germany. After the war, Michael’s first career was as a journalist and in the 1950s he became the general manager of the Oxford Mail and Oxford Times. Significantly, he held a number of senior roles in Oxfam, serving on the Executive Committee from 1952 right until the end of his life, and was Chairman from 1971 to 1977. He believed in encouraging local initiative, particularly in agriculture, and was an early advocate for recycling and the impact of climate change, especially in relation to Africa. Closer to home, Michael was a Trustee of both the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust. He was also an advocate for the National Health Service, serving on the governing bodies of both Oxford Hospitals and Scarborough Health Authority.

About the Rowntree Society: The Rowntree Society is a registered educational charity based in York. Its mission is to build and share knowledge about the histories of the Rowntree family, company, and trusts and their continuing relevance for the local, national, and global challenges facing our contemporary world. Famed as hugely successful chocolate makers, the Quaker Rowntrees were pioneers in business management and industrial welfare, social research on poverty, and high-quality, affordable housing in Britain – all subjects that still resonate today. The society facilitates and supports projects and activities for a range of audiences through collaborative working across education, libraries, and archives, the voluntary sector, and the cultural sector. It functions as a reliable source of information, promotes and supports new interdisciplinary research, produces heritage-related materials for people of all ages and backgrounds, and acts in an advisory capacity on relevant projects and initiatives.

Key Themes: The sculpture will focus on three key themes:

1. Leader of Good Causes: Michael’s work with Oxfam and, closer to home, two of the Joseph Rowntree Trusts, are good examples of his sense of public responsibility and service.
2. Nature Lover: Michael’s love of nature and his particular hobby of bird watching will be represented in his sculpture.
3. Member of the Rowntree Confectionery Family: Rowntrees were one of the biggest employers in York in the first half of the twentieth century when York was an industrial city rather than the tourist attraction that it is today.

For further information about Michael Rowntree, visit:

• Rowntree Society
• The Guardian Obituary

Other useful links:

• Oxfam
• Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust
• Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Location of Sculpture: Homestead Park - this location is significant in relation to:

• Michael’s love of birds and nature
• The offices of both the JRCT and JRSST are adjacent to the park. It is a location Michael would have known well
• Its connections with the overall Rowntree legacy in York