William Nicholson
Businessman and Tory stalwart
WILLIAM Nicholson, the former managing director of historic Leeds builders William Nicholson & Son and an active member of the Conservative Party in North Yorkshire, has died at the age of 77.
A much-loved father, grandfather, husband and friend, he died on November 5, surrounded by his family at York District Hospital. He had suffered a stroke.
Mr Nicholson was born on October 8, 1935, in Headingley, the son of William and Mae Nicholson. He was a sixth generation member of Leeds master builders William Nicholson & Son, arguably the most famous building firm in Leeds at the time.
He was educated at Oatlands School at Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, and then at Harrow School in north London. He joined the family firm, based in Sheaf Street, straight from Harrow in 1953.
Founded in 1822, William Nicholson & Son was a tremendous success story. Specialising in the construction of strong rooms and banking halls for all the major banks across the country, including the Bank of England and the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The firm established a reputation for excellent craftsmanship and reliable service.
The company also worked for the War Office and carried out successful contracts for leading churches, railway stations, schools and town halls in Yorkshire and beyond. Significant civic and commercial buildings in Leeds were built by the company, of which many are still standing, including the Queens Hotel, Tetley’s Brewery, Leeds General Infirmary and the County Arcade.
He met the love of his life, Pamela (nee Sidi), shortly after he joined the family firm. They married in May 1958 at St Peter’s Church, Thorner, and settled down to a very strong and loving 54-year partnership. After serving his deferred National Service in Cyprus in 1960-61 (he was the second to last person in the whole country to be called up), the Nicholsons set up home in Long Marston, near York, before moving to nearby Whixley in 1966.
Children Guy, Deborah and Tom were born in 1961, 1962 and 1965 respectively and enjoyed an idyllic childhood in the lovely surroundings of Oaklands in the heart of Whixley. Mr Nicholson became managing director of William Nicholson & Son and the future looked bright as the company began to install the first generation of ATMs for banks.
However, as Britain suffered economic turmoil in the 1980s, the company’s fortunes began to wane. A combination of circumstances, notably the decision of banks to move away from traditional methods of conducting business as banking deregulation took hold, meant that profits tumbled. In these difficult times, a difference of opinion and distressing dispute about the firm’s future between William Nicholson and his father saw William leave the family firm and very shortly afterwards the company ceased to trade.
It was at this stage that William Nicholson’s qualities of optimism, integrity and courage came to the fore. He had to rebuild his life, and that of his family, from scratch and he worked extremely hard at a variety of projects, latterly this included helping his wife Pamela and her then business partner Gail Jopling, long time friend and wife of Lord Jopling, to set up the boutique travel company Art Study Tours and the holiday rental company Private Properties Abroad.
Between 1974 and 1994 he also found time to commit himself to the Church of the Ascension in Whixley, where he was the senior church warden for 20 years and close friend of Whixley’s popular vicar the Rev Ronnie Noakes. Together they were an inspiration to all Christians in the Whixley parish and beyond.
He became a prominent member of the then Harrogate Conservative Association and stood as a candidate for election on the District Council in 1995 alongside John Savage, the now well-known district and county councillor. This was their first taste of political campaigning.
As Private Properties Abroad went from strength to strength, and on Lady Jopling’s retirement from the company, he became financial director and accompanied Pamela on many trips across Europe, as they visited and vetted houses in the company’s portfolio.
William Nicholson’s hobbies included shooting, gardening, bird-watching, walking, foreign travel and good food and wine. He was blessed with a tremendous sense of humour and was much loved by a huge circle of friends from all generations.
His funeral took place at the Church of the Ascension in Whixley. Apart from wife Pamela and children Guy, Deborah and Tom, he leaves grandchildren Araminta, Laura, Max, Clementine and Angus.