Orphaned, he started working at the General Electric Co. in London, aged 16, as a ledger clerk, before moving into the sales and finally the export department.
[1] He was a keen amateur footballer, playing with the Christ Church Athletic Club for many years, which is where he met Ray Parsons.
[2] Borrowing £2,000 from a relative, Jack Bowthorpe started his own business in 1936 originally trading as Goodlife Electrical Supplies although, on repayment of the loan in 1938, Bowthorpe Electric Ltd was established with the help of Park Trust Ltd (Lord Doverdale's family trust).
[3] He operated his business from a garage in 8, Eagle Street, London, W.C.1., cutting up electrical wiring into standard lengths and selling it to the aircraft industry.
[5] He initially employed one person, Ray Parsons, to assist him and together they built the Company into one of the UK's largest electrical businesses.