The founder of one of Britain’s most iconic lorry firms has died at the age of 95.
Eddie Pears Stobart, who founded the haulage firm Eddie Stobart in 1946, died on November 25, his family said in a public announcement on Wednesday.
The company originally carried out contract work for farms and distributed fertiliser, before expanding into a multimodal logistics company carrying out road haulage, rail freight, and deep sea transport.
But the firm is best known for its famous green and red coloured lorries, which became a familiar sight on Britain’s motorways.
Eddie Stobart was born in April 1929 in Cumbria, and originally worked as a farm-hand before setting up his company.
His son, Edward Stobart, took over the company in 1973, and is largely credited with turning the company into one of the country’s biggest logistics companies.
But he continued his father’s traditions of giving the trucks green and red colouring, and of giving them female names. The firm’s first three trucks were named Twiggy, after the 1960’s model, Tammy Wynette, and Dolly Parton. Later, drivers were allowed to choose the name of their own truck.
A devout Christian, Eddie spent his retirement with his wife Nora in Carlisle, where they were active members of the Free Evangelical Church.
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