London City Airport Consultative Committee

A tribute to an important figure in the early history of the Airport

The Committee has learned with great sorrow of the death of Bill Lindsell on 1st March 2007, aged 77 years.

Apart from a short break of 3-4 years when he worked for Vickers Armstrong in Karachi,  Bill Lindsell worked in number of capacities for the construction giant John Mowlem and Co plc for the whole of his working life.  By the late 1980s he was a Director of Mowlem Building Ltd and worked on a number of projects in London including, notably, the construction of the Nat West Tower.  In late 1980, following a dinner which Mowlem's Chairman (Sir Philip Beck) had with Reg Ward (Chief Executive of the newly formed LDDC), Bill was asked to explore the possibility of an airport in the Royal Docks for short take off and landing aircraft (STOLport).

The site between the Royal Albert and King George V Docks was chosen and until 1987 Bill led a team of Mowlem's people and consultants first to promote the idea of an Airport and then to secure approval for it (this involved a major public inquiry) and set up the team needed to run the new facility.  And then, in 1988 he took over as Airport Director running the Airport in concert with Airport MD Bill Charnock.  He retired in 1990 - see press release.

In retirement Bill had an active part time business/hobby framing pictures and for many years he was also chairman of governors at Cranford and a governor of St Pauls Girl School. He lived in Chiswick but kept a home in Lymington which he visited on a regular basis - he was a member of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club for 60 years! He liked to travel, visiting his family and old friends, and last year took the Orient Express across Russia.

In a statement the Airport's current managing Director, Richard Gooding, said:

"Bill Lindsell was a key member of the Mowlem team who had the vision and energy to design, construct and operate London City Airport. His boundless energy and enthusiasm were vital factors in getting started, yet at the same time Bill was a real gentleman who valued all his colleagues. He remained in touch with airport until very recently and was delighted to see the original Mowlem vision become reality. He will be missed by his many friends at London City Airport."

Consultative Committee Secretary, Stuart Innes, commented

"Bill was a true gentleman in every sense of the word - a 'people person' who aimed always for positive relationships not least among the Airport's staff and local people who remember him with great affection.  Much of the Airport's ultimate success can be traced to his positive ground work and team building"

And, finally, the Airport's Finance Director, David Thomson, who knew Bill very well, said:

"A 'people' man he was well liked and respected by all who knew him, and everyone based at the Airport in the early days still remembers him with great fondness. He was closely involved with the conception, construction and early operation of LCY and with his boundless enthusiasm and good humour was able to carry people with him through difficult situations, of which there were many. The world is a lesser place without him."

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Footnote:

In June 2006 Bill was asked to record his recollections for the Airport's Archiving project - here is a short clip (.wmv file, 1.87mb)

An independent Consultative Committee established by London City Airport pursuant to Section 35 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982
Chairman: John Adshead     Secretary: Stuart Innes
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Page last modified: 27th July 2007