Jim Wilson CBE
It is with regret that we report the death of Jim Wilson CBE who died in December after a short battle with Cancer. Jim was widely known and respected throughout the UK marine industry over the last 60 years, having commenced his career as a seagoing engineer before returning to shore and working for Metrovick in Manchester.
This was followed by periods at British Shipbuilders and Stone Manganese when Jim formed an alliance with John Langham. Langham Industries purchased Appledore Shipbuilders after the company was de-nationalised in 1988. As Managing Director, Jim Wilson steered the company through the difficult years of the late 80s, 90s and into the early part of this century. Shipbuilding in the UK was in decline but under Jim’s leadership the yard built some 24 vessels during this period.
Jim’s efforts were rewarded with a CBE in 1998 in recognition of his contribution to shipbuilding. Everybody who knew Jim has stories to tell, many of them colourful, all of them probably true. The general consensus is that Jim was a character the like of which we are unlikely to see again. Our thoughts are with his wife Joan and his children at this sad time.
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