WORTH, 1sT VISCOUNT (1868— ), British newspaper proprietor, was the second son of Alfred Harmsworth, and brother of Viscount Northcliffe. He was born on April 26, 1868, Lon don, was created a baronet in 191o, Baron Rothermere in and Viscount Rothermere of Hemsted, after his services as air minister, in 1918. He married in 1893 Mary Lilian, daughter of George Wade Share.
At the age of 21 he entered the publishing firm of which his brother, Alfred, was the principal, soon after the date when Answers was launched. He assisted in developing the business on sound and economic lines, and for the next 20 years was the close associate of his brother in all his great undertakings. He took an important part in the reorganisation of The Evening News, London, was one of the three principals in the establish ment of The Daily Mail (1896) and was largely responsible for developing its methods of distribution. He founded The Daily Record (1895), bought The Leeds Mercury and shared in the purchase of The Times (1908). He became known also as a most generous benefactor of charities. By the gift of a large sum he enabled the Union Jack Club to provide worthy accommoda tion for sailors and soldiers in London; and he gave ito,000 to the Territorial Force County of London Association. In 1910 he
founded the King Edward Chair of English literature at Cam bridge, and in 1910 he ceased his connection with The Times, The Daily Mail and The Evening News. In 1914 he acquired The Daily Mirror from Lord Northcliffe and in 1915 he founded The Sunday Pictorial, the first fully illustrated Sunday newspaper in London. On the death of Lord Northcliffe, in Aug. 1922, Lord Rothermere by purchase acquired control of The Daily Mail and Associated Newspapers Ltd., the company which owns that newspaper among others; and subsequently bought large news paper properties owned by Messrs. E. Hulton & Co., Ltd. In 1917 Rothermere became air minister. He at once declared himself "whole-heartedly in favour of reprisals," which were the best means of carrying the war into Germany and pro tecting British towns against air attacks. Suffering from pre carious health and bereavements in the World War, he resigned April 25, 1918, after he had carried out the fusion of the air service into the Royal Air Force. (H. W. W.)