Memoirs

Ian Gilmour's autobiography covers his life up to Suez in 1956.

A foreword and afterword by his son, the author David Gilmour, put his life into context and covers the remaining part of his fascinating life.

He was an important social liberal and an inspired editor of The Spectator.

He was educated at Eton and read history at Balliol College, Oxford.

He served with the Grenadier Guards 1944 to 1947 and was called to the bar at Inner Temple in 1952.

He acquired The Spectator magazine in 1959, which he claimed was the wisest choice he made and was its editor from 1954 to 1959.

His editorship of the magazine is seen as one of the highlights of the paper's long history.

On 10 July 1951, Gilmour married Lady Caroline Margaret Montagu-Douglas-Scott, the youngest daughter of the 8th Duke of Buccleuch.

Their wedding was attended by Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), and the future Elizabeth II.

They lived in the grounds of Syon Park in London, with a house in Tuscany and had four sons and one daughter.