Nicholas Nuttall (Sir)
(1933 - 2007)
(1933 - 2007)
Captain Sir Nicholas Nuttall served in the Royal Horse Guards and twice won Sandown’s Grand Military Gold Cup on his own horse Stalbridge Park, in 1958 and 1961. They also finished second twice and third once.
Captain Sir Nicholas Nuttall served in the Royal Horse Guards and twice won Sandown’s Grand Military Gold Cup on his own horse Stalbridge Park, in 1958 and 1961. They also finished second twice and third once.
Sir Nicholas Keith Lillington Nuttall, 3rd Baronet, was born in Leicestershire on September 23, 1933, the son of Sir Keith Nuttall, 2nd Baronet (1901-1941), who ran the family construction and engineering business, Edmund Nuttall & Co. Ltd., in the 1920s and 1930s. The business had been founded by Nicholas’ great-grandfather James Nuttall in Manchester in 1865, and built into a nationwide business by his son, Sir Edmond Nuttall, 1st Baronet (1870-1923), who was awarded a knighthood in 1922.
Sir Nicholas Keith Lillington Nuttall, 3rd Baronet, was born in Leicestershire on September 23, 1933, the son of Sir Keith Nuttall, 2nd Baronet (1901-1941), who ran the family construction and engineering business, Edmund Nuttall & Co. Ltd., in the 1920s and 1930s. The business had been founded by Nicholas’ great-grandfather James Nuttall in Manchester in 1865, and built into a nationwide business by his son, Sir Edmond Nuttall, 1st Baronet (1870-1923), who was awarded a knighthood in 1922.
Sir Keith Nuttall became a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Engineers in the Second World War. Wounded on the retreat to Dunkirk, he died on August 31, 1941. His eight-year-old son Nicholas was heir to the family business and also inherited the Nuttall baronetcy, along with the family seat at Lowesby Hill, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.
Sir Keith Nuttall became a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Engineers in the Second World War. Wounded on the retreat to Dunkirk, he died on August 31, 1941. His eight-year-old son Nicholas was heir to the family business and also inherited the Nuttall baronetcy, along with the family seat at Lowesby Hill, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.
Sir Nicholas was educated at Eton College and Sandhurst, and took a commission in the Royal Horse Guards in 1953. He served in Cyprus during the Cyprus Emergency, an insurgent campaign by a Greek Cypriot militant group bent on removing the British from Cyprus so it could be unified with Greece. They were in turn opposed by a Turkish Cypriot group who rejected the union with Greece. It eventually led to Cyprus being granted independence in 1960.
Sir Nicholas was educated at Eton College and Sandhurst, and took a commission in the Royal Horse Guards in 1953. He served in Cyprus during the Cyprus Emergency, an insurgent campaign by a Greek Cypriot militant group bent on removing the British from Cyprus so it could be unified with Greece. They were in turn opposed by a Turkish Cypriot group who rejected the union with Greece. It eventually led to Cyprus being granted independence in 1960.
He played polo and also rode under National Hunt rules as an amateur rider. He had horses in training with Alec Kilpatrick at Collingbourne Ducis and gained his first win on Singing Duke in an amateur riders’ handicap chase at Newbury on January 19, 1956. He rode another of his horses, The Man in Blue, in that year’s Grand Military Gold Cup but fell.
He played polo and also rode under National Hunt rules as an amateur rider. He had horses in training with Alec Kilpatrick at Collingbourne Ducis and gained his first win on Singing Duke in an amateur riders’ handicap chase at Newbury on January 19, 1956. He rode another of his horses, The Man in Blue, in that year’s Grand Military Gold Cup but fell.
However, he duly won the Grand Military Gold Cup at the second attempt in 1958 aboard Stalbridge Park. Sir Nicholas and Stalbridge Park competed in the next four renewals, finishing second in 1959, third in 1960, then winning it for a second time in 1961. On their final appearance together, in 1962, they again finished second, going down by just a neck to Cash Desire, the mount of Major Paul Greenwood.
However, he duly won the Grand Military Gold Cup at the second attempt in 1958 aboard Stalbridge Park. Sir Nicholas and Stalbridge Park competed in the next four renewals, finishing second in 1959, third in 1960, then winning it for a second time in 1961. On their final appearance together, in 1962, they again finished second, going down by just a neck to Cash Desire, the mount of Major Paul Greenwood.
In addition to his dual Sandown triumphs, Sir Nicholas rode Stalbridge Park to victory in the Ashby Handicap Chase at Birmingham on December 14, 1959 and in the Fred Withington Challenge Cup at Towcester on April 22, 1961.
In addition to his dual Sandown triumphs, Sir Nicholas rode Stalbridge Park to victory in the Ashby Handicap Chase at Birmingham on December 14, 1959 and in the Fred Withington Challenge Cup at Towcester on April 22, 1961.
By 1966, Sir Nicholas was a Major and in command of the Guards Independent Parachute Regiment. He resigned his commission in 1968, on the death of his mother, to take over the running of the family firm. He supported the Labour Government’s Channel Tunnel project in 1970. The company was later involved in the construction of High Speed 1. The company was bought by Dutch company the Hollandsche Beton Group in 1978.
By 1966, Sir Nicholas was a Major and in command of the Guards Independent Parachute Regiment. He resigned his commission in 1968, on the death of his mother, to take over the running of the family firm. He supported the Labour Government’s Channel Tunnel project in 1970. The company was later involved in the construction of High Speed 1. The company was bought by Dutch company the Hollandsche Beton Group in 1978.
He married four times, firstly to Caroline York from 1960 to 1971; secondly to Julia Williamson, formerly Lady Patrick Beresford, until 1975; thirdly to Miranda Quarry, with whom he emigrated to the Bahamas shortly after selling the family business. There he became involved in marine conservation and founded the Bahamas Reef Environmental Educational Foundation (BREEF), almost single-handedly transforming local attitudes to maritime conservation.
He married four times, firstly to Caroline York from 1960 to 1971; secondly to Julia Williamson, formerly Lady Patrick Beresford, until 1975; thirdly to Miranda Quarry, with whom he emigrated to the Bahamas shortly after selling the family business. There he became involved in marine conservation and founded the Bahamas Reef Environmental Educational Foundation (BREEF), almost single-handedly transforming local attitudes to maritime conservation.
His fourth and last wife was Eugenie McWeeney, a Bahamian clothing designer and sister of former Attorney-General of The Bahamas, Sean McWeeney, QC.
His fourth and last wife was Eugenie McWeeney, a Bahamian clothing designer and sister of former Attorney-General of The Bahamas, Sean McWeeney, QC.
Sir Nicholas Nuttall died of lung cancer on July 29, 2007, aged 73. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by Harry, his son from his first marriage.
Sir Nicholas Nuttall died of lung cancer on July 29, 2007, aged 73. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by Harry, his son from his first marriage.
The Nassau Guardian lauded him after his death as a “prominent local environmentalist … at the forefront of a number of important marine conservation initiatives and environmental causes”.
The Nassau Guardian lauded him after his death as a “prominent local environmentalist … at the forefront of a number of important marine conservation initiatives and environmental causes”.