Obituary – Nigel Linstead OC

Captain of industry and past Master of a City of London livery company, Nigel Linstead was a boarder at Colston’s School from 1950 to 1954.

Born in South London on Burns’ Night in January 1938, his family moved to Milverton in Somerset at the outbreak of World War Two. He went first to the village primary school, moving to Colston’s at the age of 11.

As number 119, he was a member of Arlington House. It was there that his business acumen first showed itself. Nigel’s parents sent him comics to read and he rented them out to the other boarders for a small fee.

Nigel excelled at long-distance swimming at school, gaining his Bronze Medallion for life-saving. He used these skills twice in later life to save two girls from drowning in separate swimming pool accidents.

As a member of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), he learned how to strip down a Bren light machine gun. He could still remember how to do this well into his late seventies.

After leaving Colston’s with four GCE exams, Nigel spent the whole of his working life in the construction industry.

He joined John Laing & Sons as an articled quantity surveying pupil on the construction of the Royal Aeronautical Establishment in Bedfordshire and later on the M1 motorway. Subsequent moves took him to Poole and South Wales where, at just 25, he was the youngest area secretary of the Round Table Movement.

It was his colleagues at Laings who taught him the art of negotiating, “Always remember the other person knows far more than you could ever hope to learn.” Nigel never underestimated anyone, although there were many who underestimated him.

He joined the South Wales branch of Norwest Holst in 1971 as the Regional Chief Quantity Surveyor. During his 15 years with the company he progressed to become the Chairman and Managing Director.

In 1985, he joined the international contractor Bernard Sunley & Sons as Chief Executive and successfully expanded the group with acquisitions of Lilley and Turriff and with the formation of Sunley Polska in Poland. He was presented to Queen Elizabeth II during her state visit to Poland in 1996.

Nigel was a member of two City of London Livery Companies – the Pattenmakers and the Upholders. He became The Master Pattenmaker in 2002.

He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in March 2017. Like so many other challenges in his life, he took this diagnosis in his stride. During the next four years, he went on holiday to Poland, Dartmoor, Greece and Milverton. He rode on the footplate of Steam Engine 5542, and remained in touch with many relatives and friends.

Nigel broke his hip in a fall at his home in Warlingham, Surrey, on 12 April. Although he recovered from the partial hip operation that followed, he never regained his appetite and died peacefully at home on 5 May. He was 83.

Over the years, Nigel lived in Bedford, Poole, Newport, Hemel Hempstead and Warlingham but he always thought of Milverton as home. He was buried at St Michael and All Angels’ Church in the village on 7 June.

He is survived by his wife Jessie, two children Claire and Rebecca, and five grand-children.

One of Nigel’s rules for life was, “Never say more than you have to,” so I think we’ll leave it there.

Claire Linstead (daughter)