Ownership of the newspaper* -
The Daily Telegraph is owned by the
Barclay brothers.
The Sunday Times Rich List of 2007 estimated their wealth at £1.8 billion. They have earned a reputation for avoiding publicity, and are often described as reclusive. Sir David's son Aidan Barclay, manages their UK businesses...
They are reported to be close friends of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, former Archbishop of Westminster. According to newspaper reports, the Cardinal has stayed at the Barclay brothers' home on the Channel Island of Brecqhou and is believed to have blessed the brothers' private chapel and said Mass for them there.
In 1993, the Barclay brothers bought the island of Brecqhou, one of the Channel Islands, located just west of Sark.
Their own mock-Gothic castle on Brecqhou, designed by Quinlan Terry, features 3ft granite walls, battlements, two swimming pools and a helicopter pad. The brothers are tax exiles, and give their address as Le Montaigne, 7 Avenue de Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco.
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*Until January 2004, the newspaper group was controlled by Canadian businessman Conrad Black. Black, through his holding company Ravelston Corporation, owned Hollinger Inc. which in turn owns 30% of Hollinger International and, under a deal masterminded by Andrew Knight through which Black bought the newspaper group in 1986, owns 78% of the voting rights. Hollinger Inc. also owns the liberal Chicago Sun-Times, the Jerusalem Post, and conservative publications such as The Spectator.
On 18 January 2004, Black was dismissed as chairman of the Hollinger International board over allegations of financial wrongdoing. Black was also sued by the company. Later that day it was reported that the Barclay brothers had agreed to purchase Hollinger Inc. from Black, giving them the controlling interest in the newspaper group. [Conrad Black is now in prison.]