David Nicolson
Encyclopedia
Sir David Lancaster Nicolson, FCGI
, FIMechE
, FIProdE, FIMgt, FRSA
(20 September 1922 – 19 July 1996) was a British
business executive and politician who played a key role in setting up British Airways
and served for five years in the European Parliament
.
consulting engineer, Nicolson was born in London
and educated at Haileybury
but was forced to leave it when his father went blind and lost his income. Instead he won a scholarship to St Paul's School and went on from there to Imperial College London
where he was elected a member of the Links Club. He was trained in engineering and was a Constructor Lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
during the Second World War (he served in the North Atlantic and during the invasion of Normandy
, where he was mentioned in despatches for his work repairing damaged ships while under fire). Sir David Nicolson was a member of the Links Club
of the City and Guilds College whilst at Imperial College.
in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, which had employed his father. He was appointed as a Manager of Production-Engineering Ltd in 1953 and later became a Director of the firm; from 1963 to 1968 he was Chairman of the P-E Consulting Group, an associated company. In 1965 he was made Deputy Chairman of BTR Industries
, and became company Chairman in 1969.
Board in 1971 after being recruited by John Davies
, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
in the government of Edward Heath
. Nicolson served for four years, during which he had the responsibility of uniting the two parts which had previously run as British Overseas Airways Corporation
and British European Airways
. Nicolson had no previous experience of the airline industry and also felt that the Aerospace Minister Michael Heseltine
interfered with his work. However, he succeeded in integrating the schedules and the newly-merged airline launched publicly in 1974.
A member of the Institute of Directors
council from 1971 to 1976 and of the council of the Confederation of British Industry
from 1972, Nicolson was made Chairman of Rothmans International plc
in 1975 after leaving British Airways. He chaired the CBI's Environment Committee in the late 1970s. He received a Knighthood in 1975.
and was pleased to be selected as a Conservative Party
candidate for the European Parliament
. He was elected and served as Member of the European Parliament
for London Central from the 1979 election. However, dealing directly with European Commission processes left him increasingly disillusioned by the bureaucracy involved and he did not seek re-election when the term ended.
. He was Chairman of the European Movement
from 1985 to 1988 and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Surrey
from 1987 to 1993.
in Norfolk
. He led an appeal that year which led to the building of the Canadian War Memorial in Green Park
, but he had few hobbies and did not enjoy the life of a retired businessman. In 1996 he died after suffering a stroke
while attending the funeral of an old friend.
City and Guilds of London Institute
The City and Guilds of London Institute is a leading United Kingdom vocational education organisation. City & Guilds offers more than 500 qualifications over the whole range of industry sectors through 8500 colleges and training providers in 81 countries worldwide...
, FIMechE
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
, FIProdE, FIMgt, FRSA
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(20 September 1922 – 19 July 1996) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
business executive and politician who played a key role in setting up British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
and served for five years in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
Training
The son of a CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
consulting engineer, Nicolson was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and educated at Haileybury
Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College, , is a prestigious British independent school founded in 1862. The school is located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford, from central London, on of parkland occupied until 1858 by the East India College...
but was forced to leave it when his father went blind and lost his income. Instead he won a scholarship to St Paul's School and went on from there to Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
where he was elected a member of the Links Club. He was trained in engineering and was a Constructor Lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
The Royal Corps of Naval Constructors is an institution of the Royal Navy and British Admiralty for training in naval architecture. It was established by Order in Council in August 1883, on the recommendation of the naval architect Sir William White. It still exists, as a branch of the Naval...
during the Second World War (he served in the North Atlantic and during the invasion of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, where he was mentioned in despatches for his work repairing damaged ships while under fire). Sir David Nicolson was a member of the Links Club
Links Club
The Links club is a tie club of the City and Guilds College at Imperial College, London.-Background:The Links Club is a club for students and alumni of the Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College, formerly The City and Guilds College...
of the City and Guilds College whilst at Imperial College.
Early career
In the early 1950s Nicolson worked as a Production Manager for Bucyrus-Erie Co.Bucyrus International
Bucyrus International, Inc. , was an American surface and underground mining equipment company. Founded as Bucyrus Foundry and Manufacturing Company in Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1880, Bucyrus moved company headquarters to South Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1893. In its early history, Bucyrus produced steam...
in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
South Milwaukee is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 21,256 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Milwaukee is located at ....
, which had employed his father. He was appointed as a Manager of Production-Engineering Ltd in 1953 and later became a Director of the firm; from 1963 to 1968 he was Chairman of the P-E Consulting Group, an associated company. In 1965 he was made Deputy Chairman of BTR Industries
BTR Industries
BTR plc was a British industrial conglomerate, which merged with Siebe in 1999 to form BTR Siebe plc, later renamed Invensys. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
, and became company Chairman in 1969.
British Airways
He was appointed Chairman of the British AirwaysBritish Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
Board in 1971 after being recruited by John Davies
John Davies (businessman)
John Emerson Harding Harding-Davies, MBE, PC was a successful British businessman who served as Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry during the 1960s...
, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. Its secondary title is the President of the Board of Trade...
in the government of Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
. Nicolson served for four years, during which he had the responsibility of uniting the two parts which had previously run as British Overseas Airways Corporation
British Overseas Airways Corporation
The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
and British European Airways
British European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
. Nicolson had no previous experience of the airline industry and also felt that the Aerospace Minister Michael Heseltine
Michael Heseltine
Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC is a British businessman, Conservative politician and patron of the Tory Reform Group. He was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001 and was a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major...
interfered with his work. However, he succeeded in integrating the schedules and the newly-merged airline launched publicly in 1974.
A member of the Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
council from 1971 to 1976 and of the council of the Confederation of British Industry
Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry is a British not for profit organisation incorporated by Royal charter which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.-Role:The CBI works...
from 1972, Nicolson was made Chairman of Rothmans International plc
Rothmans International plc
Rothmans International plc was a British tobacco manufacturer. Its brands included Rothmans and Dunhill. Its international headquarters were in Hill Street, London and its international operations were run from Denham Place, Denham Village in Buckinghamshire...
in 1975 after leaving British Airways. He chaired the CBI's Environment Committee in the late 1970s. He received a Knighthood in 1975.
Politics
Nicolson strongly supported the development of the European CommunitiesEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and was pleased to be selected as a Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate for the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. He was elected and served as Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for London Central from the 1979 election. However, dealing directly with European Commission processes left him increasingly disillusioned by the bureaucracy involved and he did not seek re-election when the term ended.
Approach to business
Never a strong believer in politics, Nicolson regretted excessive involvement by politicians in the management of nationalised industries, and also pointed out that few managers of high technology companies in Britain had technical qualifications themselves. Unlike many company directors of the period, Nicolson was broadly supportive of trade unions. He sometimes told audiences during lectures that his hero was NapoleonNapoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
. He was Chairman of the European Movement
European Movement
The European Movement International is a lobbying association that coordinates the efforts of associations and national councils with the goal of promoting European integration, and disseminating information about it.-History:...
from 1985 to 1988 and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Surrey
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
from 1987 to 1993.
Retirement
After further business posts, Nicolson largely retired in 1992 to Bale, near FakenhamFakenham
Fakenham is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, some north east of King's Lynn, south west of Cromer, and north west of Norwich....
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. He led an appeal that year which led to the building of the Canadian War Memorial in Green Park
Green Park
-External links:*...
, but he had few hobbies and did not enjoy the life of a retired businessman. In 1996 he died after suffering a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
while attending the funeral of an old friend.