Stavros Niarchos

Stavros Niarchos was born in Athens, in 1909, three months after his parents, naturalised US citizens, had returned to their native country on making their fortune with a department store in Buffalo, New York. After graduating in Law at Athens University, he entered the business world through a chain of flour mills owned by his mother's family, the Coumandaros. By the time he was 30 he had built up the shipping side of the business, chartering vessels to carry wheat from Argentina and elsewhere. By 1935 he was able to persuade the company to invest in six freighters for transatlantic grain transport and himself profited from this expansion by acquiring one of them, in 1939. he was instrumental in securing from the US government the favourable sale of 100 Liberty ships to Greek shipowners in compensation for damages suffered in the Allied war effort. Niarchos, like most Greek shipowners, had committed all ships under his management to the Allied war effort and lost six of 14 carriers. He retrieved some of his losses through insurance and proceeded to buy US-built Liberty and Victory dry cargo ships, as well as T2 oil-tankers. Soon after, he initiated an important shipbuilding programme with American shipyards which increased and consolidated his fleet. By 1966 his fleet comprised 72 ships trading and 16 on order, including substantial modern and super tonnage. His investments had diversified into stocks and real estate. His art collection had grown impressively, especially after the 1958 acquisition of Edward G. Robinson's excellent collection of Impressionist paintings. The marriage with Eugenia was interrupted rudely in 1964 on account of Niarchos's tumultuous affair with Charlotte Ford, the 24-year-old daughter of Henry Ford II. They were married in Mexico and had one child. After this escapade came to a bitter end in 1967, Niarchos retraced his steps to Eugenia with impunity - the Greek Orthodox Church had never dissolved their wedlock. Married 1930 Helen Sporides (marriage dissolved 1930), 1939 Melpomene Capparis (marriage dissolved 1947), 1947 Eugenia Livanos (died 1970; three sons, one daughter), 1965 Charlotte Ford (one daughter; marriage dissolved 1967), 1971 Mrs Athina Livanos-Onassis-Blandford (died 1974); died Zurich 15 April 1996.