Sir Nigel Broackes (21 July 1934 – 29 September 1999) was an English businessman and the founder of Trafalgar House, one of the United Kingdom's largest contracting businesses.
Born in Wakefield, Broackes was the son of solicitor Donald Broackes and artist Nancy Rowland (née Tansley) Broackes. His father died in 1943 whilst serving in the Army, leaving only a small estate. With his mother denied a war pension as her husband had died of natural causes, Broackes was raised in straitened circumstances. His paternal grandfather, despite having been on bad terms with his son, left money for his grandson's education.[1] Broackes was educated at Brambletye School in Sussex and Stowe School, and joined Stewart & Hughman, a firm of Lloyd'sunderwriters, on leaving school.[1] He then did national service from 1951 to 1953 with the 3rd Hussars,[2][1] and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Armoured Corps in 1953,[3] leaving in 1954[4]
After completing his national service, Broackes returned to Stewart & Hughman for a short time before deciding to go into business himself; three "unsuccessful and diverse ventures" in house conversion, hire purchase, and tool-making used up most of the inheritance he received from his grandfather, but he came to realize the development potential of London bomb-sites. He worked for a West End estate agent for a short time to learn the property business, and a stockbroker friend of his mother helped him come into contact with potential financial backers.[1] Using his last remaining asset, a small apartment block,[5] and with the support of Eastern International, a small finance house, he started buying up bomb sites in London.[1] Eastern International became Trafalgar House and Broackes took a 21% stake in the business when it was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1963.[1] In 1964 the Company took a 49% stake in Bridge Walker, a construction company owned by Victor Matthews.[1] After that Broackes and Matthews worked together to build Trafalgar House into one of the United Kingdom's largest contracting businesses.[1] Trafalgar House owned the Cunard Line from 1971 to 1998. Broackes resigned in 1992 following heavy losses associated with a diversification into offshore activities.[1]
He died in 1999 in Chelsea and is buried in the church of St Peter and St Paul, Checkendon. His estate was valued at over £16 million; his wife, who died in 1993, left an estate of over £5 million.[7][1][8]
Familyedit
He was married (as her second husband) to Joyce Edith Horne, née Skidmore; they had two sons and a daughter.[1]
Armsedit
Coat of arms of Nigel Broackes
Crest
A demi-dragon rampant wings elevated Gules armed and langued Azure holding in the dexter claw a goblet Or.
Broackes, Nigel (1979). A Growing Concern. Littlehampton Book Services. ISBN978-0297776543.
January 01, 1970
nigel, broackes, july, 1934, september, 1999, english, businessman, founder, trafalgar, house, united, kingdom, largest, contracting, businesses, born21, july, 1934wakefield, yorkshire, englanddied29, september, 1999, aged, chelsea, london, englandeducationbra. Sir Nigel Broackes 21 July 1934 29 September 1999 was an English businessman and the founder of Trafalgar House one of the United Kingdom s largest contracting businesses Sir Nigel BroackesBornNigel Broackes21 July 1934Wakefield Yorkshire EnglandDied29 September 1999 aged 65 Chelsea London EnglandEducationBrambletye School Stowe SchoolOccupationBusinessmanKnown forFounder of Trafalgar HouseSpouseJoyce Edith Horne nee Skidmore Children3 Contents 1 Career 2 Family 3 Arms 4 References 5 Further readingCareer editBorn in Wakefield Broackes was the son of solicitor Donald Broackes and artist Nancy Rowland nee Tansley Broackes His father died in 1943 whilst serving in the Army leaving only a small estate With his mother denied a war pension as her husband had died of natural causes Broackes was raised in straitened circumstances His paternal grandfather despite having been on bad terms with his son left money for his grandson s education 1 Broackes was educated at Brambletye School in Sussex and Stowe School and joined Stewart amp Hughman a firm of Lloyd s underwriters on leaving school 1 He then did national service from 1951 to 1953 with the 3rd Hussars 2 1 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Armoured Corps in 1953 3 leaving in 1954 4 After completing his national service Broackes returned to Stewart amp Hughman for a short time before deciding to go into business himself three unsuccessful and diverse ventures in house conversion hire purchase and tool making used up most of the inheritance he received from his grandfather but he came to realize the development potential of London bomb sites He worked for a West End estate agent for a short time to learn the property business and a stockbroker friend of his mother helped him come into contact with potential financial backers 1 Using his last remaining asset a small apartment block 5 and with the support of Eastern International a small finance house he started buying up bomb sites in London 1 Eastern International became Trafalgar House and Broackes took a 21 stake in the business when it was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1963 1 In 1964 the Company took a 49 stake in Bridge Walker a construction company owned by Victor Matthews 1 After that Broackes and Matthews worked together to build Trafalgar House into one of the United Kingdom s largest contracting businesses 1 Trafalgar House owned the Cunard Line from 1971 to 1998 Broackes resigned in 1992 following heavy losses associated with a diversification into offshore activities 1 In 1979 Broackes became chairman of the London Docklands Development Corporation from which post he resigned in 1984 1 He was knighted for his role at that organisation in 1984 6 He died in 1999 in Chelsea and is buried in the church of St Peter and St Paul Checkendon His estate was valued at over 16 million his wife who died in 1993 left an estate of over 5 million 7 1 8 Family editHe was married as her second husband to Joyce Edith Horne nee Skidmore they had two sons and a daughter 1 Arms editCoat of arms of Nigel Broackes Crest A demi dragon rampant wings elevated Gules armed and langued Azure holding in the dexter claw a goblet Or Escutcheon Vair three castles triple towered in pale Gules Motto Ausculta Discesque 9 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l Moss Michael S 2004 Broackes Sir Nigel 1934 1999 financier and industrialist Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 72953 ISBN 978 0 19 861412 8 Subscription or UK public library membership required Debrett s People of Today Debrett s Peerage Ltd 1995 p 249 No 39877 The London Gazette Supplement 2 June 1953 p 3099 Who was Who vol X 1996 2000 St Martin s Press Palgrave Macmillan 2001 p 67 Sir Nigel Broackes British Magnate Dies Washington Post Retrieved 18 February 2022 No 49966 The London Gazette 27 December 1984 p 17387 Checkendon Churchyard Memorials Find a grave Retrieved 15 January 2018 Wills The Independent 18 September 2011 Archived from the original on 20 June 2022 Goldsmiths Hall 85 Broackes N Baz Manning Retrieved 22 November 2020 Further reading editBroackes Nigel 1979 A Growing Concern Littlehampton Book Services ISBN 978 0297776543 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nigel Broackes amp oldid 1202475429, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
