Jack Walker
Encyclopedia
Jack Walker was a British industrialist and businessman, from Blackburn, Lancashire
. Walker invested tens of millions of pounds in Blackburn Rovers
football club after amassing a personal fortune of £600 million. He moved to St Helier, Jersey to become a tax exile
in 1974.
from a back-street scrap metal business started by their father after the war into a steel stockholding concern. By 1990 they had built up the business so successfully that it had become the largest steel stockholder in Britain, employing 3,400 people at 50 sites. In 1956 the turnover was £46,000. In 1988 the business was making an annual profit of £48m. The Walker brothers bought GKN and then sold it to British Steel for a reported £360m, the highest price ever paid for a private company at the time.
became the airline's headquarters and base for technical services.
The airline grew throughout the 1990s and was recognised in 1993 and 1994 when it won 'Best UK Regional Airline'. The new millennium saw the airline announce a new brand name at the beginning of May: British European. The rebrand reflected the size and scope of what was now the UK’s third-largest scheduled airline. July 2002 saw the start of a new beginning for the airline, British European was forced to dramatically change its business model to survive in such a highly competitive and aggressive new low cost travel era. Flybe was born and along with changes to commercial, fleet and operational policies that were to transform the airline.
The Walker Trust own 69% of the company with the remaining shares owned by British Airways (15%) and staff through an employee share scheme. At the airlines Head Office in Exeter there are two buildings named in his honour: Jack Walker House and the New Walker Hangar both based on the Exeter International Airport complex.
, Jack Walker, then a vice president at the club, donated the funds for a new stand at the dilapidated Ewood Park. The WalkerSteel (now known as the Riverside) Stand was built. It is also thought that his money was used to pay for the acquisition and wages of Ossie Ardiles and Steve Archibald
in the 1987-88 season.
He took full control of the club in January 1991, having backed the club on a regular basis for five years previously, and within the first three years he spent £25 million on new players, twice breaking the British record for the most expensive transfer of a football player, signing Alan Shearer from Southampton for £3.3million in 1992 and Chris Sutton from Norwich for £5million in 1994.
In the early stages of his ownership of Blackburn, he also tried to bring England internationals Geoff Thomas
and Gary Lineker
to the club, but bids for both players failed.
The Ewood Park
ground was reconstructed at a cost of more than £20 million to give it a capacity of just over 30,000, with a new Jack Walker Stand providing a lasting tribute.
When he bought Blackburn, the 1990-91 season
was half completed and they were just above the relegation zone. Manager Don Mackay
initially used Walker's funds to make signings which helped ensure Blackburn's survival that season, and built the platform for a promotion challenge in 1991-92
. Walker declared his ambition early on that Blackburn would return to the top flight, establish themselves as a top side in England and eventually go on to compete with the very best clubs in Europe. At this time, the likes of Arsenal
, Liverpool
and Manchester United
were generally regarded as the nation's top clubs, while the European scene (with English clubs having only recently been re-admitted following a five-year ban as a result of the Heysel disaster) was being dominated by AC Milan, Inter Milan, FC Barcelona
and Real Madrid
.
Kenny Dalglish
became manager in October 1991 and by May Blackburn had been promoted to the newly formed Premier League through the play offs. In the 1994-95 season, Blackburn Rovers won the Premiership title.
Although Blackburn qualified for Europe on three occasions during his ownership of the club, they failed to make the same impact in the UEFA Cup
or European Cup that they had done in the Premier League.
Away from Blackburn Rovers, Walker also invested his money in property development in and around the town of Blackburn. He also sponsored First Tower United
, a Jersey
based football club. His sale of Walkersteel had proven to be a less successful investment for its new owners, as the steel market entered a steep slump as a result of the Early 1990s recession.
, the Home Secretary and Blackburn's Labour MP, said:
Before his death, Walker had put in place a family trust structure to own his various business interests, including the club, which still remains in place.
In November 2004 the Jack Walker Memorial garden was unveiled at the Blackburn End of Ewood Park. Standing in the middle is the Jack Walker Memorial Statue. A road close to Ewood Park was named "Jack Walker Way" in his honour.
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Walker invested tens of millions of pounds in Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
football club after amassing a personal fortune of £600 million. He moved to St Helier, Jersey to become a tax exile
Tax exile
A tax exile is one who chooses to leave a country with a high tax burden and instead to reside in a foreign nation or jurisdiction which takes a lower portion of earnings. Going into tax exile is a means of tax mitigation or avoidance.-Legal status:...
in 1974.
Walkersteel
The youngest of three girls, he was born into a working class family in Blackburn and left school at 13. After leaving school Walker worked as a sheet metal worker and a conscript craftsman in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers before taking over the family business with his brother, Fred Walker after the death of their father in 1951. Together, they transformed WalkersteelWalkersteel
Walkersteel is a major steel processing company based in Blackburn, Lancashire. The firm was originally established by the Walker family before sons Fred and Jack Walker turned the business into a major concern....
from a back-street scrap metal business started by their father after the war into a steel stockholding concern. By 1990 they had built up the business so successfully that it had become the largest steel stockholder in Britain, employing 3,400 people at 50 sites. In 1956 the turnover was £46,000. In 1988 the business was making an annual profit of £48m. The Walker brothers bought GKN and then sold it to British Steel for a reported £360m, the highest price ever paid for a private company at the time.
Jersey European Airways
In November 1983 the WalkerSteel group took over Jersey European Airways, already being the parent company to Blackpool based airline Spacegrand. The two airlines were initially run separately until 1985 when they were amalgamated and ExeterExeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
became the airline's headquarters and base for technical services.
The airline grew throughout the 1990s and was recognised in 1993 and 1994 when it won 'Best UK Regional Airline'. The new millennium saw the airline announce a new brand name at the beginning of May: British European. The rebrand reflected the size and scope of what was now the UK’s third-largest scheduled airline. July 2002 saw the start of a new beginning for the airline, British European was forced to dramatically change its business model to survive in such a highly competitive and aggressive new low cost travel era. Flybe was born and along with changes to commercial, fleet and operational policies that were to transform the airline.
The Walker Trust own 69% of the company with the remaining shares owned by British Airways (15%) and staff through an employee share scheme. At the airlines Head Office in Exeter there are two buildings named in his honour: Jack Walker House and the New Walker Hangar both based on the Exeter International Airport complex.
Blackburn Rovers
In 1986, at the invitation of the then chairman Bill FoxBill Fox
Bill Fox was the lead singer and guitarist of the three-piece Cleveland, Ohio, garage pop band The Mice, which existed from January 1985 to 1988. They released two albums, For Almost Ever and Scooter , and were a major influence on the burgeoning Ohio power pop scene, including Dayton's Guided by...
, Jack Walker, then a vice president at the club, donated the funds for a new stand at the dilapidated Ewood Park. The WalkerSteel (now known as the Riverside) Stand was built. It is also thought that his money was used to pay for the acquisition and wages of Ossie Ardiles and Steve Archibald
Steve Archibald
Steven Archibald is a former Scottish football player and manager.- Club career :He first came to prominence playing in midfield for Scottish First Division side Clyde, but was converted to striker when he signed for Aberdeen, forging a prolific partnership with Joe Harper...
in the 1987-88 season.
He took full control of the club in January 1991, having backed the club on a regular basis for five years previously, and within the first three years he spent £25 million on new players, twice breaking the British record for the most expensive transfer of a football player, signing Alan Shearer from Southampton for £3.3million in 1992 and Chris Sutton from Norwich for £5million in 1994.
In the early stages of his ownership of Blackburn, he also tried to bring England internationals Geoff Thomas
Geoff Thomas
Geoff Thomas born Manchester, England is a former English footballer, who won nine caps for the full England team and captained Crystal Palace to the FA Cup final in 1990...
and Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
to the club, but bids for both players failed.
The Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
ground was reconstructed at a cost of more than £20 million to give it a capacity of just over 30,000, with a new Jack Walker Stand providing a lasting tribute.
When he bought Blackburn, the 1990-91 season
1990-91 in English football
The 1990–91 season was the 111th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Arsenal won the league. Runners-up spot was achieved by Liverpool, who had led the table for much of the first half of the season but had been shell-shocked in February by the sudden resignation of manager...
was half completed and they were just above the relegation zone. Manager Don Mackay
Don Mackay
Donald Mackay is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.-As player:He was a goalkeeper and played for Forfar Athletic and made 104 appearances. He was then signed for Dundee United by Jerry Kerr, for whom he made 170 appearances...
initially used Walker's funds to make signings which helped ensure Blackburn's survival that season, and built the platform for a promotion challenge in 1991-92
1991-92 in English football
- First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of, among others, Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David Batty, Gary Speed and Gary McAllister...
. Walker declared his ambition early on that Blackburn would return to the top flight, establish themselves as a top side in England and eventually go on to compete with the very best clubs in Europe. At this time, the likes of Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
were generally regarded as the nation's top clubs, while the European scene (with English clubs having only recently been re-admitted following a five-year ban as a result of the Heysel disaster) was being dominated by AC Milan, Inter Milan, FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
.
Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
became manager in October 1991 and by May Blackburn had been promoted to the newly formed Premier League through the play offs. In the 1994-95 season, Blackburn Rovers won the Premiership title.
Although Blackburn qualified for Europe on three occasions during his ownership of the club, they failed to make the same impact in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
or European Cup that they had done in the Premier League.
Away from Blackburn Rovers, Walker also invested his money in property development in and around the town of Blackburn. He also sponsored First Tower United
First Tower United F.C.
First Tower United F.C. is an amateur association football club in Jersey, Channel Islands. Their home ground is La Hague Manor and the club plays in white and blue. They are the second most successful club in the island after Jersey Wanderers, having won the Jersey League 19 times.-History:The...
, a Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
based football club. His sale of Walkersteel had proven to be a less successful investment for its new owners, as the steel market entered a steep slump as a result of the Early 1990s recession.
Death
On the 17 August 2000, Walker died from cancer aged 71. Jack StrawJack Straw
Jack Straw , British politician.Jack Straw may also refer to:* Jack Straw , English* "Jack Straw" , 1971 song by the Grateful Dead* Jack Straw by W...
, the Home Secretary and Blackburn's Labour MP, said:
"Jack Walker did more than any other individual in the last century to enhance the self-confidence and the prosperity of his home town. He was completely committed to the town and its people. Blackburn Rovers was in many ways the love of his life. His contribution to the club was enormous but that was based in turn on the prosperity he created through his astonishing development of Walker Steel and of many other investments in the area. I salute a great local hero and shall miss him very badly."
Before his death, Walker had put in place a family trust structure to own his various business interests, including the club, which still remains in place.
In November 2004 the Jack Walker Memorial garden was unveiled at the Blackburn End of Ewood Park. Standing in the middle is the Jack Walker Memorial Statue. A road close to Ewood Park was named "Jack Walker Way" in his honour.