'He left the world a better place' - Tributes paid to 'remarkable' Scarborough man Tom Pindar OBE DL
Tributes have been paid to ‘remarkable’ Scarborough man Tom Pindar OBE DL, who has died at the age of 96.
Tom Pindar, the only child of George and Mary Pindar, was born on January 30, 1928,
He grew up in the town and started at the Boy’s School when he was 11-years-old
After the war Mr Pindar served his National Service in the RAF, where he became a wireless fitter having studied physics at A-Level.
Mr Pindar was demobbed in 1948.
Tom met wife-to-be Margery at Queen Street Central Hall while she was working as a teacher at Friarage School.
The couple married in May, 1953, the week before the coronation, and remember the bunting and the flags flying and joking that they were flying for them.
Tom had intended to go to university, but upon returning home discovered that his father was in need of help in the family printing business and so instead attended Kitson College, Leeds to learn more about the printing industry.
Tom’s son, Andrew, said: “My Great Grandfather bought the family business G A Pindar in 1879 from Mr Kyte Grice on St Thomas Street.
“Mr Kyte Grice sold the business to my great grandfather on very generous terms of £100 a year over four years. I believe he was forgiven the final payment.
My great Grandfather held Mr Kyte Grice in such high esteem that he named his son (my grandfather) George Kyte Grice Pindar
My grandfather was well known for his promotion of education and the George Pindar School in Eastfield is named after him.”
After returning from printing college, Tom Pindar took up a role in the family firm, embracing changes in technology and was a pioneer in implementing advances in photo typesetting and the lithographic print process.
Even after his retirement Tom continued to have a hand in the company, Andrew said: “His office was next to mine and he always had an interest in the business. In a sense he never left - he just didn’t come in as regularly.”
In 1986 Tom Pindar was awarded the OBE for services to the printing industry.
But it wasn’t just the printing industry which benefited from Tom’s incomparable nature.
Andrew said: “He had a fundamental belief that it was his duty to leave the world a better place than he found it.
“He was completely blind to people's position in society – He wasn’t impressed by people’s status and wealth or the trappings of grandeur.
“He was a truly remarkable man.”
Tom spent many years involved with Queen Street Methodist Church before he and Margery moved to Scalby and began to attend St Laurence’s.
His overwhelming contribution to the Scarborough community is almost impossible to overstate.
Tom was foreman of the town Renaissance team, town team and chairman of the trust which ran Scarborough Hospital.
He became Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire in the 1970s and spent many years representing the Queen at local functions.
He was also part of the small group of businessmen who helped found Saint Catherine’s Hospice
Tom was President of Round Table and Chair of the Rotary Club and he drove a lot of energy into each.
He is survived by his wife of 71 years Margery, their children Margaret and Andrew, grandchildren Nick and Tom Lumby and Zoe and George Pindar, and great-grandchildren Poppy and Arthur Lumby.
His funeral will take place at 2pm on November 26 at St Laurence’s Church in Scalby.
A celebration of Tom’s life will follow at Scarborough Rugby Club where the Tom Pindar playing fields are named after him in recognition of the support given by the Pindar company to the club.
Flowers are welcome or donations to Saint Catherine’s Hospice in memory of Tom.
Further enquiries TL Chapman and Sons Ltd.