Early and Private Life
Sainsbury was born in London, the middle son of Alan Sainsbury and his wife Doreen. His brothers are John and Timothy, former Conservative Minister of Trade; David Sainsbury, Labour MP and Minister for Science, is a cousin. His great-grandfather, John James Sainsbury, established a grocer's at 173 Drury Lane in 1869 which became the British supermarket chain Sainsbury's. Sainsbury was educated at Eton College, where he became head of his house and President of the Eton Society ("Pop"). A keen sportsman, he was selected for the Eton-Harrow match at Lord's in 1947 as a bowler; sent in as a nightwatchman, he scored a century. After National Service as "sports officer" in the Life Guards, he read history at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Near the end of his life, Sainsbury entered into a civil partnership with his partner for 40 years, Stewart Grimshaw, a restaurateur and bookseller. He suffered from Parkinson's disease in his later years, and ultimately suffered a fall which caused his death.
Read more about this topic: Simon Sainsbury
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