In memorium: Norman Wilson
The Association is sad to hear of the passing of Norman Wilson, BALI National Chair 1979-80.
Peter Jennins, BALI National Chairman 1978-79, has paid the following tribute:
I first met Norman in the early 1970’s just after the formation of BALI as our trade association. At that time Norman was managing director of EFG New Lands, which was a major company undertaking reclamation and large scale landscape projects throughout Scotland. We quickly formed a friendship which would last until the present day.
In those early BALI days the main office of the Association consisted of an office (i.e. one room!) in an annexe of the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) in Bingley, Yorkshire, which was run, on her own, by BALI’s first General Secretary, and only employee, Pat Reynard. Norman and I would spend every Sunday evening at length on the telephone, agreeing on what needed to be done during the following week. We would then let Pat know what had been decided to enable her to take action, send correspondence etc.
In those early days BALI were active members of ELCA (European Landscape Contractors Association) and Norman and I went over to Bonn in Germany to represent BALI. Whilst there we visited a Bundesgartenschau, which are biennial garden shows and which that year was being held in the city. With us both coming from cities suffering depravation at that time (in Norman’s case, Glasgow – in my own case, Liverpool) and with both having large tracts of derelict land and the remaining scars from World War 2 still apparent, it struck us how cities throughout the UK could benefit from similar treatment. The visit to Bonn thus proved to be the birth of Garden Festivals in the UK – Liverpool being the first, Stoke on Trent the second, followed by Glasgow, Gateshead and Ebbw Vale.
Norman and Kay (his wife of 60 plus years!) were always the most phenomenal hosts. Whether it was a conference, a BALI Regional Meeting, BALI seminar and, in particular BALI Golf competitions, they were at the forefront, warmly welcoming everyone. The BALI golf tournaments in those early years grew to become major events in the BALI calendar and we often played on some very famous courses, including Gleneagles, St Andrews, Troon and Turnbury (well before Trump took over!!). On one occasion, whilst staying at the Old Course Hotel at St Andrews, Norman and Kay hosted a pre-dinner drinks reception in their room on the evening of the competition, when they ran out of ice. Norman asked for more from room service and when he got his bill they had charged him £5 a bucket (and that was something like 40 years ago!!). In later years we seemed to settle on North Berwick and held many happy golf tournaments there.
Norman only took up golf himself in later life and when he latterly formed his own company, Hereward Landscapes (being Norman’s middle name!) he continued with his own company’s golf tournaments, again providing extraordinarily generous hospitality.
Once retired and with him being less active than hitherto, Norman and Kay moved to Norfolk to be near their daughter. Latterly they moved into sheltered accommodation in Fakenham. Hilary and I last met up with them around 3 years ago (just post covid) and spent 3 happy days reminiscing about the early days of BALI when Norman was so active in establishing the Association as the leading trade association for our industry that it is today. He will be much missed and deserves to be long remembered, with gratitude, by BALI and all who knew him.
Our heartfelt sympathies go out to Kay and the rest of the family on Norman’s passing.
