Pre. 1972: The Dawn of Time.
Lens started out as an engineer in the aircraft industry.
He worked for CF Taylors in estimating and was involved with
the feasibility studies for the production of Concord.
1972: The Beginning
In 1972 Len started to make aluminium boats, included as part
of this was the production of riggers, seats, and stretchers
for each of these boats. As a result more and more people
start to ask Len for these fittings to be made especially
for their individual needs.
1976: Len Neville Riggers & Fittings is born
By April of 1976 these requests have become so frequent that
Len decided to set himself up in his garage to be able to
properly dedicate time to making these bespoke riggers.
Within only four short months, he was spending 65 hours in
his garage in his spare time!, compared to 35 hours at his
'proper job'!. This Forced Len to make the choice between
his full time job and his burgeoning business. Len Neville
Riggers & Fittings was born.
In the course of this work Len was offered the job running
the boat building and oar and scull manufacturing at Eton
College. He turned this down. He decided that having always
worked for someone else and with the amount of interest already
being shown in his riggers and fittings, that he would prefer
to establish his own business under his own name.
He did however need proper premises by this time and so took
up their offer of use of the blacksmith shop at Eton College.
The arrangement being that he would give priority to Eton
College jobs.
1978 to 1980: The family gets on board
In 1978 Len's eldest son Paul Neville, left his banking job
to join his father in his venture. It then wasn't long before
Nigel Neville, having completed his engineering apprenticeship,
also became part of the ever expanding family business. 1980
saw Ian Neville, the youngest of the clan, join his brothers
and father over at Eton college.
1983: Business was good
By 1983 it was clear that new premises had to be found, and
so by March of the same year they had moved to Tims Boatyard
in Staines, from where they still operate to this day.
2008: still going strong
Paul Neville left to run Janousek racing boats and Stampfli
International. The workforce now consists of Len, Nigel, Ian
and Len still shows no signs of stopping or retiring even
though he has already had his retirement party some fifteen
years ago!!!!!!! The story continues……….
After
Henley Royal Regatta in 1951, he took up sculling, winning all
but one race that season. He lost in the final of the senior
sculls at Henley Town Regatta to the first Doggets Coat and
Badge winner, Bertie Green.
Later
that year Len coached Reading University freshmen consisting
of three eight's and one four. He also stroked a double with
John Robins a member of Reading Rowing Club who was de-mobbed
from the Army Medical Core. The double was successful and led
to getting an invitation to the International Regatta at Ghent,
Belgium. They reached the final and finished half a length behind
the winning Dutch crew.