Jack Walker

Jack Walker (19 May 1929 - 17 August 2000), an industrialist from Blackburn, Lancashire. Making a fortune in the steel industry, Walker's name is popularly associated with Blackburn Rovers, the local football club in which he invested tens of millions of pounds.

Related Topics:
19 May - 1929 - 17 August - 2000 - Industrialist - Blackburn - Lancashire - Steel - Blackburn Rovers - Football

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Leaving school at 14, Walker worked as a sheet metal worker and a conscript craftsman in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers before taking over the family business with his brother, Fred Walker. Together, they transformed the business into a steel stockholding concern, which, in 1990, Walker sold to British Steel for £360m, before retiring to St Helier, Jersey.

Related Topics:
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers - Fred Walker - 1990 - British Steel - St Helier - Jersey

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Rises in the fortunes of Blackburn Rovers attributed to Walker include the redevelopment of the club's stadium, Ewood Park, persuading Kenny Dalglish to come out of retirement to manage Blackburn in 1991 and twice breaking the British record for the most expensive transfer of a football player, signing Alan Shearer from Southampton for £3.3m in 1992 and Chris Sutton from Norwich for £5m in 1994.

Related Topics:
Ewood Park - Kenny Dalglish - 1991 - Alan Shearer - Southampton - 1992 - Chris Sutton - Norwich - 1994

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Jack Walker was 71 when he died of cancer in 2000.

Related Topics:
Cancer - 2000

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