Eddie Stobart obituary

His name was painted on countless trucks, so well-known on the UK's motorways that families passed the time on long trips by counting them and noting their individual names – all featuring a woman’s name. However, Eddie Stobart, who passed away at the age of 95, originally owned only eight trucks when he transferred the Cumbria-based business to his son Edward in the 1970s. He decided to focus on his farming pursuits and his strong religious beliefs instead.

Edward transformed Eddie Stobart Ltd into a logistics company that at its peak operated over 2,000 trucks and was ultimately sold for £280 million. He chose to have his father's name instead of his own displayed on the sides of the trucks as the business established a strong reputation for its well-maintained, high-quality fleet, uniformed drivers, and capitalized on the significant expansion of road freight and goods transportation by truck over rail.

Eddie went on to pursue various farming-related tasks through his business, which he called Eddie Stobart Trading. This was the same venture that had motivated him to buy his first truck—delivering and applying fertilizer, as well as providing several other services to nearby farmers. The trucks bore a simple “E.P. Stobart” logo on their doors. He later remarked that if he had anticipated the fame that Eddie Stobart Ltd. would achieve as a trucking company, he would have declined the use of his name altogether.

In 1973, Eddie appointed his son Edward as the chief executive of his transport company when Edward was just 19. Three years later, he granted him the role of chairman. Eddie shared, "I've never intended to spend my life working tirelessly. I tend to be more easygoing compared to Edward. I often wondered why he stressed so much and rushed around. We're meant to serve God, not just pursue money. I was still a director at Eddie Stobart Ltd, but during board meetings, I'd just relax in an armchair at home while Edward called me from somewhere on the M6 to update me on what he was doing."

He also wanted to spend more time on his commitments as a dedicated evangelical Christian. Growing up in a Methodist family, Eddie met his future wife, Nora Byrd, at a Bible rally. The couple got married in 1951 and became active supporters of the Free Evangelical Church, helping to build a chapel in Wigton, Cumbria. Eddie served as a part-time lay preacher, while Nora was involved in the Gideon Bible movement, which provides free Bibles to those in need. He recounted how his childhood stutter unexpectedly faded away when, at the age of 17, he had to speak in front of his local chapel for the first time. "God took me by the hand. God helped me overcome it."

Eddie was the child of Adelaide and John Stobart, who operated a small 32-acre farm with eight cows in Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria. When Eddie's mother passed away when he was just 12, he left the local school at Howbeck and began working on the farm at the age of 14. He also took on additional jobs, assisting other farmers and doing horse-and-cart labor for the county council.

Demonstrating his entrepreneurial spirit, he acquired his initial horse to help pull farm equipment. After selling the horse, he used the profits to purchase chickens. In 1946, he, along with his father and brother, launched an agricultural venture that provided services to nearby farmers, including deliveries. However, it wasn't until 1960 that he purchased his first truck—a used Guy Invincible—from a nearby garage.

He gave it a fresh coat of bright red and dark green paint and started using it to deliver slag from steel factories, which was in demand as a fertilizer. His business began to thrive when a nearby company went out of business, allowing him to secure a valuable slag contract with ICI. With the new opportunity, he purchased two additional trucks.

Once he passed the transportation responsibilities to Edward, Eddie, often referred to as "Fast Eddie," managed his farming business alongside his daughter Anne until 1980. That year, he chose to invest in an industrial warehouse located in Carlisle instead.

Although he took pleasure in Edward's achievements, he felt a deep sense of sorrow when his son sold the company in 2004. He was also troubled by the challenges the business faced afterward, along with Edward's future business endeavors. Tragically, Edward passed away in 2011 with financial difficulties.

Eddie is survived by his wife Nora, along with their two sons, John and William, as well as Anne.