TOM Lindsay, the co-founder with his brother Peter, of Lindsay Bros Transport, has passed away peacefully aged ninety.

Tom’s widow Greta Lindsay has shared some memories of her husband with News Of The Area.

Born in Coffs Harbour (Sunnyside Hospital in Elizabeth Street) on 18 May 1931, Tom grew up in Boambee and attended Boambee Public School, followed by St. Augustine’s Catholic School.

In the early 1940s he picked peas and beans locally before and after school, handing his wage to the family.

Following an early life banana and tomato farming, Tom set off for Sydney and worked for Unilever in the Pears Soap division.

By the age of 21 he had made enough money to return to Coffs Harbour and with his older brother Peter, each put 500 pounds into a deposit to purchase three second-hand five-ton Ford trucks from their father.

This was the start of Lindsay Bros Transport, in March 1953.

Their first ‘Mechanics Workshop’ was a vice attached to a timber log.

Tom and Peter drove trucks every day for the first ten years, originally carting fruit and vegetables to Newcastle
and Sydney markets.

As the business grew, they backed off driving in order to manage their growing business.

Tom has a raft of accolades to his name for contribution to the industry.

During Tom’s time at Lindsay Bros he was also involved in managing a 200-acre farm at Hyde’s Creek, north of Bellingen, planting 25 acres of bananas, growing beans, peas and tomatoes, together with a few acres of citrus.

He added a dairy, and eventually the farm expanded to the stage that they had five share-farmers working on the property.

During his time at Lindsay Bros he was also involved in earthmoving, a garden centre, a crane company, brick wholesaling, four service stations, rebuilding and managing Bonville Golf Resort.

In 2002 following the death of Peter in 1999, Tom presided over the transition of the private Lindsay Brothers into the Corporate Lindsay Australia Limited and stayed on as a Director for several years.

Tom was a member of the Coffs Harbour Rotary Club for over 40 years where he served on the committee, was the President of the Club and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow for his service to Rotary International.

Gurmesh Singh, Member for Coffs Harbour, told News Of The Area, “Like many in Coffs Harbour, I was deeply saddened to hear of Tom’s passing.

“He will be remembered not only for his professional career managing Lindsay’s Transport and helping develop Bonville Golf Resort, but also for the way he lived his life.

“Not a day was wasted, and he lived a full and meaningful life.

“I have always appreciated his support and guidance – Coffs Harbour will miss him.”

 

By Andrea FERRARI