Dave P. Tyndall Jr.

David Patrick Tyndall Jr. (3 March 1917 – 30 June 2006)^{[citation needed]} was an Irish businessman. He started out in a family business with his eponymous father and eldest brother William, and played a role in helping modernise the wholesale and retail grocery trade, consolidate it, and enable family grocery shop owners to adapt to the advent of supermarkets. Associated with a number of retail business in Ireland, he was also an amateur pilot.^[1] As of 2000, he was recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest man to have, at that time, flown a helicopter solo.^[2]^[3]

Personal life[edit]

He was a son of Sarah (née Gaynor) and David P. Tyndall (Sr.). He married Molly (née Kettle) in September 1949, and they had four children: Mona, Mary, Pauline and Vivian.^{[citation needed]}

Tyndall lived in Dublin and died in June 2006.^[4]

Career in business[edit]

He was known for his sense of opportunity and strategic vision,^{[citation needed]} and his mergers and acquisitions experience earned him the nickname "Take-over Tyndall" in Irish business circles.^{[citation needed]} Known as a caring employer,^{[citation needed]} he absorbed many of the employees of wholesalers who closed down (Hugh, Moore & Alexander, Shirley Spence & Belford, McMaster, Hodgson, R. Jones & Co.), and introduced a bonus incentive scheme, and a scheme of non-contributory pensions for employees.^{[citation needed]} He was behind the first initiative of an Irish wholesale group to establish a bonded warehouse to expand their wine and spirits business.^{[citation needed]}

After his father's retirement, and in collaboration with his older brother William, he expanded the Tyndall interests to include retail stores, through joint ventures for self-service stores across Ireland.^{[citation needed]} They resisted a 25% takeover bid by Irish businessman Tony O'Reilly in 1971. Eventually they sold AWL to Joshua Watson Ltd., and Dave Tyndall Jr. joined its board. It was later taken over by Irish Distillers, who were later taken over in 1988 by Pernod-Ricard.^{[citation needed]}

William retired in 1980 and Dave retired in 1984, after fifty-one years in the grocery business.^{[citation needed]}

Aviation interests[edit]

Tyndall's aviation interests included involvement (as president) with the Leinster Aero Club, now based in TREVET (EITT), near Dunshaughlin, County Meath.^{[citation needed]} The Leinster Aero Club was founded in 1956 and originally based at Weston Aerodrome. In 1964, the club re-located to Dublin Airport, where it existed until relocating back to Weston in 2004. In 2006, the club moved to Trevet Airfield, a newly licensed field near Dunshaughlin, County Meath.^{[citation needed]}

Companies founded, with his father and brother[edit]

Doherty, Tyndall & Co. Ltd.
D. Tyndall & Sons, Ltd.(Director & Secretary)
Farm Sales, Ltd. (Director)
Creamery Packers, Ltd. (Member)
Efficient Distribution, Ltd. (Golden Goose Stores)(President)
SPAR Ireland Ltd. (Director)
Cameron Markets, Ltd. (Chairman & managing director)
Park Markets, Ltd. (Chairman & managing director)
Greenhills Produce, Ltd. (Chairman & managing director)
Phoenix Markets, Ltd. (Chairman & managing director)

Business associations co-founded[edit]

RG Data – Retail Grocery, Dairy and Allied Trades
Irish Association of Distributive Trades (I.A.D.T.)(Member)
Wholesale Grocers Association of Ireland (President)
Irish Grocers Benevolent Association/Fund (President)

Other positions held[edit]

Leinster Aero Club Ltd., President
Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, Treasurer
Irish Aviation Council Ltd., Treasurer
National College of Industrial Relations, committee member

References[edit]

^ "Choppers away... even if you're 17 or 87". Irish Independent. 8 December 2004. Retrieved 18 October 2023. David Tyndall, 87, is famous for a number of things. His company developed the Valucenter chain and was the first to bring the now hugely successful Spar brand here. David has also flown light aircraft for over 40 years
^ "Flying in the face of convention". Irish Times. Dublin. 21 November 2000. David Tyndall is a sprightly 83-year-old who flies a light aircraft most weekends [..] Tyndall became the world's oldest solo helicopter pilot and in so doing made his way into the Guinness Book of Records
^ "David is World's Oldest 'Copter' Pilot". Irish Independent. Dublin. 22 July 2000. p. 3. David Tyndall (83) is walking on air to find himself officially listed as the oldest man to fly solo in a helicopter
^ "Philanthropist leaves €42,000". Irish Independent. 25 March 2007. Other wills: [..] David P Tyndall, Mount Prospect, Clontarf, Dublin, retired company director who died June 30, 2006, €3,284,697 [estate value]

[1] "Choppers away... even if you're 17 or 87". Irish Independent. 8 December 2004. Retrieved 18 October 2023. David Tyndall, 87, is famous for a number of things. His company developed the Valucenter chain and was the first to bring the now hugely successful Spar brand here. David has also flown light aircraft for over 40 years

[2] "Flying in the face of convention". Irish Times. Dublin. 21 November 2000. David Tyndall is a sprightly 83-year-old who flies a light aircraft most weekends [..] Tyndall became the world's oldest solo helicopter pilot and in so doing made his way into the Guinness Book of Records

[3] "David is World's Oldest 'Copter' Pilot". Irish Independent. Dublin. 22 July 2000. p. 3. David Tyndall (83) is walking on air to find himself officially listed as the oldest man to fly solo in a helicopter

[4] "Philanthropist leaves €42,000". Irish Independent. 25 March 2007. Other wills: [..] David P Tyndall, Mount Prospect, Clontarf, Dublin, retired company director who died June 30, 2006, €3,284,697 [estate value]

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