Tom Cowie
Encyclopedia
Sir Tom Cowie OBE is the honorary Life President of the Arriva
Group, formerly known as Cowie Group plc.
A string of takeovers led to the business' rapid expansion and by 1961 it had showrooms in seven cities. It became a PLC
in 1964 having moved into car sales following the collapse of the motorbike market. In 1972 Cowie Contract Hire was formed. By the end of the 1980s this was largest contract hire company in the United Kingdom
.
T. Cowie PLC moved into bus operation in 1980 by taking over Grey-Green
. Under Cowie ownership it expanded into London Transport
tendered services, and its profits increased massively as a result. Cowie acquired bus sales dealership Hughes DAF in 1988, before attempting to purchase bus manufacturer Plaxton
in 1992. This bid proved unsuccessful, with Cowie taking only 47% of the company's shares by the deadline.
In 1993 Sir Tom Cowie left T. Cowie plc following differences of opinion with other board members, although he remained its life President and retained a 2.8% shareholding. It was renamed Arriva
in 1998.
, though his tenure remains, in the eyes of most supporters, a real low in the club's history. He remained reluctant to invest meaningful funds until the appointment of Lawrie McMenemy
as manager in 1985, which culminated in their relegation to the Football League Third Division
. Bob Murray
replaced Cowie in 1986.
renamed its St Peter's Campus the "Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's", after the local businessman who was one of its primary supporters.
In 2005 Sir Tom Cowie opened a business and enterprise centre in Thornhill School, Sunderland. He sponsored the renovating and fitting of the building. In 2007 Cowie helped refurbish a sixth form centre at St. Bede's School
in Lanchester
.
in the 1992 New Year's Honours List.
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
Group, formerly known as Cowie Group plc.
Cowie Group
Sir Tom's father, T.S. Cowie headed a business, T. Cowie Ltd, which repaired and sold cycles in Matamba Terrace, Sunderland but this business ceased to exist in the early years of the war when T.S. Cowie went into the trawler business. Tom Cowie himself was born in Sunderland. After serving in the RAF, he returned to Sunderland after the war and in 1948 T Cowie Ltd, motorcycle dealers, re-opened for business.A string of takeovers led to the business' rapid expansion and by 1961 it had showrooms in seven cities. It became a PLC
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
in 1964 having moved into car sales following the collapse of the motorbike market. In 1972 Cowie Contract Hire was formed. By the end of the 1980s this was largest contract hire company in the United Kingdom
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...
.
T. Cowie PLC moved into bus operation in 1980 by taking over Grey-Green
Grey-Green
Grey-Green was a coach and bus operator in the United Kingdom. It was based in Stamford Hill, and can trace its origins back over a century to the foundation of George Ewer’s horse carriage business in 1885.-History:...
. Under Cowie ownership it expanded into London Transport
London Regional Transport
London Regional Transport was the organisation responsible for the public transport network in Greater London, UK from 1984-2000. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operational brand of the organisation was London Transport.The organisation was...
tendered services, and its profits increased massively as a result. Cowie acquired bus sales dealership Hughes DAF in 1988, before attempting to purchase bus manufacturer Plaxton
Plaxton
Plaxton is a builder of bus and coach vehicle bodies based in Scarborough, England.-History:The Plaxton of today is the successor to a business founded in Scarborough in 1907 by Frederick William Plaxton.-Beginnings:...
in 1992. This bid proved unsuccessful, with Cowie taking only 47% of the company's shares by the deadline.
In 1993 Sir Tom Cowie left T. Cowie plc following differences of opinion with other board members, although he remained its life President and retained a 2.8% shareholding. It was renamed Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
in 1998.
Sunderland A.F.C.
From 1980 to 1986, Cowie was chairman of Sunderland A.F.C.Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, though his tenure remains, in the eyes of most supporters, a real low in the club's history. He remained reluctant to invest meaningful funds until the appointment of Lawrie McMenemy
Lawrie McMenemy
Lawrie McMenemy MBE is a retired English football coach, best known for his spell as manager of Southampton Football Club...
as manager in 1985, which culminated in their relegation to the Football League Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
. Bob Murray
Bob Murray
Sir Robert Sydney Murray, CBE is a businessman and former chairman of Sunderland Football Club. An accountant by trade, he made his fortune through the growth and sale of the Spring Ram kitchen manufacturing company....
replaced Cowie in 1986.
Recent activities
In September 2002, the University of SunderlandUniversity of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland is located in Sunderland, north east England. The university has more than 17,500 students, including 7,000-plus international students from some 70 countries....
renamed its St Peter's Campus the "Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's", after the local businessman who was one of its primary supporters.
In 2005 Sir Tom Cowie opened a business and enterprise centre in Thornhill School, Sunderland. He sponsored the renovating and fitting of the building. In 2007 Cowie helped refurbish a sixth form centre at St. Bede's School
St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College
St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College is a school in Lanchester, County Durham, England. The school has specialist school status as a language college...
in Lanchester
Lanchester
Lanchester may refer to:Places*Lanchester, County Durham, village in England*Lanchester Polytechnic, former name of Coventry UniversityPeople*Elsa Lanchester , Oscar-nominated English character actress*Frederick W...
.
Honours
He received an OBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the 1992 New Year's Honours List.
