Our deepest condolences go to the family, friends and everyone at Henry Poole on the passing of Angus H Cundey MBE, who was affectionately known as the Godfather of Savile Row.

Mr Cundey was the sixth generation of his family to lead Henry Poole & Co, which became the first tailoring house on Savile Row when it opened its doors in 1806. Henry Poole remains a family business to this day and is now headed by Mr Cundey’s son, Simon.

A colossal presence on Savile Row, Mr Cundey prepared for Henry Poole by completing a cutting course at the Tailor and Cutter Academy and serving an apprenticeship as a coat maker at the bespoke department of Maison Lanvin in Paris. He also served in the RAF for two years. Indeed, as a schoolboy he had considered a career in the RAF as a pilot, but thought again when his headmaster impressed on him that Henry Poole was a wonderful family business and one of the most famous tailoring houses in the world.

In addition to his work at Henry Poole, Mr Cundey served as President of the Federation of Merchant Tailors, President of the World Federation of Master Tailors and President of the Tailors Benevolent Institute and Master Tailors Benevolent Association. He was also a founding member of the Savile Row Bespoke Association (SRBA).

Mark Henderson, a co-founder of SRBA and its chairman, today paid tribute to Mr Cundey: “Angus was a truly rare individual – heading one of the great family businesses on Savile Row, deeply proud of its heritage and always generous in his support for others. He was a true friend to us all and will be deeply missed.”

In recognition of his considerable services to bespoke tailoring and the trade’s charities, Mr Cundey was awarded an MBE by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 2018.

Mr Cundey’s son Simon, the Managing Director of Henry Poole & Co, says “He lived and breathed Henry Poole, built special relationships with clients, and was fond of and proud of the skills of all the staff and of their achievements in making Henry Poole what it is today: one of the finest tailors in the world.