A prominent researcher, engineer, industrial leader and adviser to governments who made his home in the Eden area for around 35 years has died at the age of 88.
Dr Bryan Lindley moved to Penrith in the mid-1980s and showed a keen interest in the town and wider area, taking on prominent roles in a number of local organisations, one being the town’s civic society, which he chaired.
He spent many years sailing with Ullswater Yacht Club, served on the executive committee of the Friends of the Lake District, was deputy chairman of the Wine Appreciation Society of Penrith and became an active member of the town’s photography society.
He was chairman of Wetheriggs Pottery Ltd, based near Penrith, and deputy chairman of Neighbourhood Watch for East Cumbria.
He also served as chairman of North Lakeland Healthcare NHS Trust, retiring from this position after completing a four-year term during which the body performed immaculately when compared with others in Cumbria and nationally.
He and his wife, Dr Judith Heyworth, a retired NHS consultant radiologist, published Penrith Through Time, an illustrated book comparing the historical town of around 1900 or earlier with the built environment up to 2012.
Bryan was born in Suffolk, near where his father was serving with the RAF, and postings resulted in 11 moves to different schools, finishing at Reading School where he was awarded a state scholarship.
He chose to read mechanical engineering at University College London, there he gained a first class honours degree. He was later appointed a fellow of the college.
He continued at UCL, to be awarded a doctor of philosophy degree for an investigation related to aero gas turbines through a research fellowship at the National Gas Turbine Establishment.
His career developed initially at Hawker Siddeley Nuclear Power Company, in nuclear power and aerospace, leading advanced projects on nuclear reactors, rockets and satellite technology.
He contributed extensively to the British Space Development Company when space exploitation was in its infancy.
His nuclear skills were advanced at the Harwell Reactor Course, and he also attended the Harvard Advanced Management Programme.
Next came a move to C. A. Parsons Nuclear Research Centre, reformed as the International Research and Development Company Ltd, leading on many new areas of technology, including large scale applications of superconductors.
When Parsons acquired the GEC turbine generator business, Bryan was invited to become manager of the combined research and development operation, reorganising this as an effective contributor to the company’s business in large scale turbine-generators, transformers and ancillary equipment.
He was then appointed director of the Electrical Research Association which he soon reformed as ERA Technology Ltd and became its chief executive and managing director, extending its scope to include many new technologies in communications and digital electronics.
Following a successful 11 years in contract engineering, the next move was as director of technology worldwide for the Dunlop Group of companies. Responsible for wide-ranging activity across the globe, he was the only director to have visited all the businesses.
Following Dunlop’s acquisition by Sumitomo and BTR, Bryan was appointed director of technology and planning of BICC Cables Ltd, where he was instrumental in a reorganisation from 27 operating companies to five divisions, manpower reduction from 9,000 to 5,000 and a return to profitability.
He was also chairman of Optical Fibres, a joint venture with Corning Glass and the largest optical fibre producer in Europe.
Reorganising the wide geographical spread of cable manufacture of BICC and using the new facilities of the world wide web, be initiated a network throughout the group to share information and technology across various companies. Also a BICC-appointed director of Thomas Bolton and Johnson, he was a member of the London Metals Exchange.
Parting with BICC, Bryan became chief executive and managing director of a start-up company in advanced robotics. The company was formally launched by the Duke of Edinburgh.
After recruiting a high-calibre team and creating a powerful programme of robotics activities, he formed a management buy-in team intent upon acquiring a business with expansion potential, focusing on an industrial electronics component at Ferranti.
Bryan also undertook many official tasks for government, including being chairman of DTI Materials, Chemicals and Vehicles Requirements Board, investing £400 million annually in industrial research and development projects; a member of the Cabinet Office Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development, which reported to the Prime Minister; deputy chairman of the Watt Committee on Energy; and chairman of the Science, Education and Management Division of the IEE. He was appointed CBE in 1982 for services to industry.
His leisure interests included cars and aircraft, sailing with Ullswater Yacht Club and on the Mediterranean, skiing, cycling – including many tours in Europe – photography, music and books, playing bridge, design and building Lindenthwaite, his home in Penrith from 1995.
His autobiography is an illustrated book entitled Nomad – a life story.
He is survived by his wife Judith, of Lancashire, and a son from an earlier marriage, Julian, of Surrey.
