Christian businessman and the founder of the iconic UK lorry firm, passed away on 25th November at the age of 95.
Eddie Stobart was known for creating one of Britain’s most recognisable lorry brands, Stobart’s legacy also has deep roots in his Christian faith.
Born in Cumbria in 1929, Eddie Stobart launched his business in 1946, initially distributing fertilizer, according to The Independant.
His Christian values shaped not only his personal life but also the way he ran his company.
He met his future wife, Nora, at a Bible rally in Carlisle, and they married on Boxing Day in 1951.
Their strong Christian faith played a central role in their family life and community involvement.
After retiring from the haulage business in the 1970s, Eddie and Nora continued to live near Carlisle, where they were active members of their local church.
While Eddie Stobart’s business grew into a multimillion-pound empire, it was widely reported that his Christian values and sense of humility shaped his approach to business.
Despite the widespread fame of the company, Eddie once stated that if he had known the brand would become a national icon, he never would have named it after himself.
Eddie's son, Edward, who took over the company in 1973, continued the family’s Christian tradition by keeping the company’s lorries named after women, and the company’s drivers followed a tradition of waving and honking their horns in response to people on the roads, contributing to the phenomenon of “Stobart spotting.”
Eddie Stobart is survived by his daughter Anne and his son William, while his late son Edward, who died in 2011, helped turn the business into the global company it is known as today.