Sir Eric John Pountain, Kt (1933-2003)
Michael Rhodes
If you were looking for a businessman to represent the Thatcher years,
Central Casting could hardly come up with a better example than Eric
Pountain. A grammar school boy from Walsall, the young Eric began his
working life as an estate agent before getting on his bike and
building houses in the West Midlands.
Shortly before Margaret Thatcher's 1979 General Election victory,
Pountain took over as chief executive of Tarmac. The company was in
trouble and valued on the stock market at less than £100m. At the
height of the eighties boom, when Tarmac was building (and selling)
13,000 houses a year, the company was worth well over £2bn.
He made Tarmac unique - a combination of a building company, like
Wimpey, and a building materials company, like Redland or RMC. Tarmac
did everything from quarrying stone to making bricks, building houses
and making roofing products. The civil engineering division handled
the big stuff, including the Channel Tunnel, and was heavily reliant
on government contracts for roads, bridges, prisons and defence
establishments.
Pountain was named Buisnessman of the Year, 1987. But the company
began to struggle, and he resigned as Tarmac chairman in 1993, staying
on as a part-time director.
Eric John Pountain was born 5 August, 1933, the son of Horace and
Elsie Pountain, and was educated at Queen Mary Grammar School Walsall.
Career: after a spell as an estate agent and auctioneer, he founded
Midland and General Developments in 1964, acquired by John McLean and
Sons in 1969, acquired by Tarmac plc, 1974; Chief Executive of the
newly formed Tarmac Housing Division until 1979; Director: Tarmac plc,
1977-94; Midland Bank, 1986-92; United Newspapers 1992-98; Lloyds
Chemists plc, 1993-97; John Maunders Group, 1994-98; Tay Homes plc,
1999-2001; Member, Advisory Council, Prince's Youth Business Trust
from 1988; Patron, Staffordshire Agricultural Society; President,
Appeals Committee, Age Concern; Trustee, Lichfield Cathedral Trust;
Trustee, Crimestoppers Trust; President, Midlands Industrial Council;
&c.
Pountain was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Staffordshire in 1985,
and was knighted in 1985.
He was a director of James Beattie plc, 1984-2002, was Deputy Chairman
of James Beattie, 1985-87, and Chairman 1987-2002.
His home was a splendid Georgian erection, Edial House, near
Lichfield, where Sir Eric, an excellent shot, could bang away at the
wildlife. The acreage was also where he bred Haflinger horses (known
for their flaxen manes and tails) which he used to show. He also had a
modest home in Minorca.
Sir Eric married in 1960, Joan Patrica Sutton, by whom he had a son
and a daughter.
The funeral takes place at Lichfield Cathedral, Monday 27 October,
2003.
--
Michael Rhodes