Joshua Dugdale

Thomas Joshua Stratford Dugdale, born on September 20, 1974, is a British individual engaged in farming, estate management, and documentary filmmaking.

Education and Personal Life:

Dugdale attended Eton College for secondary education. He pursued higher education in economics at the University of Manchester and subsequently studied law at City, University of London. He has four children: Lily and Salvador with author Sasha Norris, and Ferdinand and Francis with Diana Redvers, whom he married in 2009. In 2016, Dugdale signed an open letter to The Times opposing Brexit on behalf of British business leaders. He became a patron of the West Berkshire Mencap organization in 2018.

Career:

Documentary Film:

In 2002, Dugdale produced a documentary for the BBC titled "LAPD Blues," which examined the tenures of Los Angeles Police Department Chief Bernard Parkes on the tenth anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots following Rodney King's beating in 1992. The film was based at the South Central Police Station and documented an increase in the murder rate and police disillusionment during Parkes's leadership. The documentary received high viewership ratings and contributed to the non-reappointment of Chief Parkes after a politically charged campaign.

Between 2005 and 2008, Dugdale created a three-year biopic of the 14th Dalai Lama, titled "The Unwinking Gaze." The film portrayed the Dalai Lama as a leader of the Tibetan people and included unprecedented access, such as the recording of the Dalai Lama anointing his spiritual successors, including the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje and Ling Rinpoche. The documentary was awarded Mammoth Best Documentary in 2008 and was runner-up for the Foreign Press Association's Best Documentary in the same year. The Guardian noted that the film had the potential to influence China's stance on Tibet.

Wasing Estate:

In 2008, Dugdale assumed management of the Wasing estate in Berkshire, which includes Wasing Place and Wasing Park. The estate's manor house was originally purchased in 1759 by John Mount, a nautical publisher and ancestor of Dugdale, and constructed in 1770. The estate's house was rebuilt after a fire in 1945. Under Dugdale's stewardship, Wasing Park hosted the Glade Festival after its relocation from Glastonbury Festival. In 2015, he completed a £3 million restoration project and opened the estate to alternative events. The estate was the site of the Mizuno Endure 24 race, which faced issues in 2016 due to a reported "mystery illness" among participants. Dugdale proposed plans in 2018 to expand visitor facilities and establish a farm shop, with a claim of creating 30 jobs. Following the death of his mother, Lady Cecilia Dugdale, in 2019, Dugdale inherited the estate fully. He is the seventh generation of his maternal family, the Mount baronets.

Other Professional Activities:

Dugdale advocates for the legalization of psilocybin mushrooms and collaborates with the Psilocybin Access Rights group, emphasizing their potential to address depression, anorexia, and trauma. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he contributed to efforts to support the wedding industry, engaging with government officials for the sector's reopening. In 2020, he co-founded the Medicine Festival, which combines indigenous rights, world music, and educational talks, and was notably the only festival permitted to take place during the pandemic.

He has been active in campaigning for psilocybin access rights, with efforts highlighted during the 2023 Medicine Festival. Additionally, Dugdale has worked on a decarbonization campaign through the Urge Collective and has assisted the Broadway Initiative in developing strategies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. He successfully lobbied for an extension of the hemp growing license for UK farmers, which was expanded to six years as announced on April 9, 2024.

The Mount Amphitheatre:

In 2023, Dugdale inaugurated The Mount, an amphitheatre at Wasing. The venue's inaugural event coincided with the summer solstice and featured performances by Australian artist Xavier Rudd, Fred Leone, Sam Lee, Chief Nixiwaka, members of the Yawanawa community, Nessi Gomes, and Danit. Subsequent performances have included artists such as Jack Johnson, Sigur Rós, Gabriels, Primal Scream, and Ben Howard. Jack Johnson commended the venue as "like looking at a Van Gogh," while Rolling Stone described it as "the lushest of gig settings." The 2024 schedule features artists including Jungle, Crowded House, Underworld, Paulo Nutini, Nick Mulvey, and Rodrigo and Gabriella.

Family Background:

Dugdale is the son of Sir William Dugdale, 2nd Baronet of Blyth Hall, who was a former chairman of Aston Villa Football Club. His father is a descendant of the Noble House of Stratford. His mother was Cecilia (Cylla) Mary, daughter of Sir William Mount, 2nd Baronet of Wasing Place. Dugdale is a cousin of former UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

[End of biography.]