Dave P. Tyndall Jr. Explained

David Patrick Tyndall Jr. (3 March 1917 – 30 June 2006) 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

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.

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

Business career

Tyndall's experience with mergers and acquisitions earned him the nickname "Take-over Tyndall" in Irish business circles. 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. He was behind the first initiative of an Irish wholesale group to establish a bonded warehouse to expand their wine and spirits business.

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. 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.

William retired in 1980 and Dave retired in 1984, after fifty-one years in the grocery business.

Aviation interests

Tyndall's aviation interests included involvement (as president) with the Leinster Aero Club, now based in TREVET (EITT), near Dunshaughlin, County Meath. The Leinster Aero Club was founded in 1956 and originally based at Weston Aerodrome. As of 2006, the club was based at Trevet Airfield near Dunshaughlin, County Meath.

In addition to being president of the Leinster Aero Club, Tyndall was treasurer of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association and the Irish Aviation Council. He was also a committee member of the National College of Industrial Relations.

Further reading

• Tyndall manuscript genealogies: see MS. vols. F.3.23, F.3.27, F.4.18 in Trinity College Library, Dublin
• A Guide to Irish Country Houses, by Mark Bence-Jones, Constable & Co.Ltd., London, 1988. (pages 19 and 41).

Notes and References

1. Web site: Choppers away... even if you're 17 or 87 . Irish Independent . 8 December 2004 . 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. Web site: Flying in the face of convention . The 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. News: David is World's Oldest 'Copter' Pilot . Irish Independent . Dublin . 3 . 22 July 2000 . David Tyndall (83) is walking on air to find himself officially listed as the oldest man to fly solo in a helicopter .
4. News: 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] .