Bill Lindsell, one of London City”s first airport directors, has died aged 77. He will be remembered by airport staff and local residents with great affection, while those with whom he worked described him as a ”people person” who was a true gentleman.
Throughout his working life Lindsell worked almost exclusively for John Mowlem and Co, becoming a director of Mowlem Building in the late 1980s. He worked on a number of projects in London, including the NatWest tower ” now known as Tower 42 ” in the heart of the City of London.
Following a dinner between Mowlem”s then chairman, Sir Philip Beck, and Reg Ward ” who is now chief executive of the newly-formed London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) ” Lindsell was asked to explore the possibilities for an airport in the Royal Docks area.
Having decided the airport”s location, Linsell led a team of Mowlem”s employees and consultants to first promote the idea, and then secure approval for it. Following a major public inquiry, he then set up the team to run the project. In 1988 he became the first airport director, running the site alongside managing director Bill Charnock. He retired in 1990.