Sir August Bernard Tellefsen Cayzer, 1st Baronet of Roffey Park (1876–1943), was the second surviving son of Sir Charles Cayzer, Baronet.

At the age of 14, in 1890, he began his naval career aboard H.M.S. Britannia at Dartmouth. He served in the Royal Navy until 1902, when he resigned his commission to join the head office of Cayzer, Irvine & Company in Glasgow. According to his younger brother Herbert (“Bertie”), August took to the shipping business “like a duck to water.” His deep knowledge of seamanship, hands-on understanding of the hardships faced by officers and crew on long voyages, and his keen interest in ship design and modern technology quickly made him an indispensable asset to the family enterprise.

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, August was recalled to naval service, but was soon permitted to return to civilian life to assist his ailing father in managing the company. Following Sir Charles’s death in 1916, August succeeded him as Chairman and began working closely with the newly established Ministry of Shipping, which had assumed control over the routing and scheduling of merchant vessels.

In recognition of his dedicated wartime service, he was created a baronet in his own right in 1921.

By 1918, Clan Line had lost more than half its fleet. August embarked on a determined effort to rebuild its strength throughout the 1920s, placing strong emphasis on the adoption of new technologies where beneficial. Like his father, he maintained a conservative approach to business but balanced it with a sharp focus on efficiency and innovation.

In 1904, he married Ina Frances Stancomb of Blount’s Court, Devizes, the daughter of a distinguished West Country family. Two of their sons, Nicholas and Bernard, would later join the family firm.

August assumed the chairmanship during wartime—and would relinquish it during another. Between 1939 and 1945, Clan Line once again suffered significant losses in ships and personnel. This, along with August’s declining health, led him to pass leadership of the company to his brother Herbert in early 1943.

He died just weeks later. His maritime expertise and vision had been crucial to the company’s survival and growth during the interwar years. Now, under Herbert’s clear-headed leadership and commercial acumen, the company would continue to navigate a changing world.