William Brooks Close

Close was born in 1853 in Naples, Italy. He was one of eight children, all of whom grew up on the yacht Sibilla, which his British father, James Close, sailed on the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. Close lived on the yacht until he was five years old. His father was a banker and a business advisor to Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies. James taught his children based on his own ideals. Following Ferdinand II's death in 1859, James retired and subsequently died of a heart attack in 1865 at the family home in Antibes, France. After his father's death, his French mother Anne Brooks sent Close and his three brothers to school in Marlborough, Wiltshire. From the time he was a child, Close grew up with the idea that a man can be a gentleman and earn money. Close later attended Wellington College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He rowed in The Boat Race during his time at Cambridge. He was runner-up to Alfred Dicker in the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta in 1875.

Three months after Frederick Close died in 1890, William's wife Mary gave birth to a son named Herbert. Mary became suspicious of Close due to him leaving often without telling her where he was going and what he was doing. Close later admitted to Mary that he was with another woman. In 1893, Mary divorced him on the legal grounds of adultery. The court hearing took place on 18 July 1893 in the New York Supreme Court. After the hearing, the divorce was final and Mary gained full custody of the child.

In November 1897, Close met entrepreneur Charles Wilkinson who had maps, pictures, and stories about Alaska and the Yukon. Wilkinson thought there was a need to build a railroad to develop Alaska and Canada and wanted Close to invest in it. Wilkinson was willing to accept practically any deal, so Close decided to accept his proposal. Despite having an interest in building the railroad, Close did not intend for the Close Brothers Group to pay for all of its costs. The Close Brothers Group gave Wilkinson a $20,000 short-term loan. In February 1898, Wilkinson said his company was ready to begin building the railroad. Close assumed that Wilkinson could not pay back the loan on time, so he negotiated with others, including associates he knew about taking control. Wilkinson attempted to raise more money in Canada, but accepted the inevitable and gave Close control of the construction. On 8 March 1898, Close and his team researched legal issues that could prevent the completion of the railroad, known as the White Pass and Yukon Route. This enterprise was started in 1898 and it became operational by 1899.

After the enterprise became operational, Close moved to a manor near Henley-on-Thames in order to be closer to the rowing competitions in that area. In 1922, Close bought the Shipley Collieries in Derbyshire to process coal. Towards the end of his life, Close continued these business ventures and also hired others to use metal in order to reinforce concrete and roads. Close died in 1923 at the home of actress Florence Desmond on the Isle of Wight.