Symington, Michael Douglas (330944) late The Rifle Brigade

Michael Symington, who died in Oporto Portugal on 25^th January 2013 aged 87, was a war-time The Rifle Brigade officer and the senior member of a family of Scottish origin long resident in Oporto, Portugal and active as Port wine producers for several generations.

 Michael Symington was born in Oporto on 13th May 1925, both his parents having also been born in the city. He attended first the Oporto British School and in 1938 went to the Oratory School at Caversham Park near Reading.

At the Oratory School the other Anglo-Portuguese boys were the Stilwells who all joined the Coldstream Guards. Michael Symington wanted to be different and better so he joined the Green Jackets whose links with Portugal and the Peninsular War were decisive but for good measure he also married one of their sisters, Elizabeth.

In 1943 he enlisted in the Rifle Brigade and, after being commissioned was initially stationed in the UK and involved mainly in training. From August 1945 to May 1946 he was in Egypt mostly on guard duty and at a time when all the road signs were still largely in French, English and , Greek. In early 1946 a short posting away from the regiment to Greece followed where he was part of a small team charged with running food supplies to the city Patras thus helping to keep the citizens fed during the then vicious civil war. For his work in Greece he received the Commander-in-Chief Middle East Commendation for outstandingly good service

 Leaving the Army in 1947 he joined his father and uncles in the family business in Oporto.

It is largely through his endeavours that the company is now the biggest in the port trade, owning Grahams, ****burns, Dows, Warres andQuinta do Vesuvio, and is also the Douro Valleys largest vineyard owner and significant producers of Douro red and white wines and partners with the Blandy family of Madeira in the wines of that island.

 The 1974 revolution in Portugal was a testing time for all businesses and the uncertainty led to a number of local bankers and businessmen taking up residence in Brazil, Spain and other countries while awaiting the eventual outcome. Investment came to a halt although Symingtons took a sanguine view and continued their daily involvement in the company and built a substantial grape reception centre at one of their vineyards in the Douro valley, defying the pessimism of the time. They also offered local grape growers, many of whom suddenly found themselves without a buyer, the use of the familys main wine production centre to process their grapes which otherwise might have been left on the vine. Their confidence was to serve them well, the Douro farmers never forgot and customers overseas were grateful to have continuity of supply.

Michael Symington formed part of a small group advising the British Ambassador in Lisbon of the situation in Oporto. The north of Portugal was fortunately less affected by demonstrations and violence of the 1974 revolution than Lisbon and the south of the country where wholesale aggressive and sometimes armed  occupation of, particularly agricultural properties, took place and from which some have not recovered to this day.

He was also on the board of the Port Producer's Association who had to negotiate with the revolutionary government, most of whom were determined on wholesale nationalisation of the Port trade and all its vineyards.

In 1988 Michael Symington was appointed CBE for his contribution to Anglo-Portuguese relations during this period and for his work in the British community in Oporto.

After his retirement in 1990 he spent much of his time at his own vineyard high above the Pinhão Valley in the Douro region.

Military Service:

Home Guard (Rank of Pte) Oct 1942 June 1943

In the Ranks (Rifle Bde) 17 June 1943 22 Sep 1944

Officer training 170^th OCTU (Motor Bn) York

Commissioned as 2Lt The Rifle Bde posted to 9 RB 23 Sep 1944 (L.G. 3.11.44)

2Lt 23 Sep 1944

W/S Lt 23 Mar 1945

Relinquished Commission 12.2.1947 and is granted hon rank of Lt (L.G. 1.7.1947)

Married: In 1951 Elizabeth Stilwell of a large Anglo-Portuguese family in Lisbon.

Children: 1 D, 3 S the eldest and youngest followed their father into the family business.

Letters of condolence if desired to:

Mrs MD Symington (Elizabeth)

Quinta da Cabreira
Avenida Senhor De Santa Cruse
4475-051 Barca - Maia
Portugal

The funeral took place on 28 January in Portugal.

Note:

Michael Symington was a distant cousin of Maj Stuart Symington KRRC (Adjt 2 KRRC & Trg Offr QWR)