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Sir Bernard Ashley dies, aged 82 | Sir Bernard Ashley dies, aged 82 |
(10 minutes later) | |
Sir Bernard Ashley, co-founder of the fashion firm named after his wife Laura Ashley, has died aged 82. | Sir Bernard Ashley, co-founder of the fashion firm named after his wife Laura Ashley, has died aged 82. |
Sir Bernard, who died on Saturday after suffering from cancer, moved from Kent to Powys with his wife in 1961. | Sir Bernard, who died on Saturday after suffering from cancer, moved from Kent to Powys with his wife in 1961. |
From humble beginnings at the Old Railway House in the little known village of Carno, the company grew to have 5,000 retail outlets worldwide. | From humble beginnings at the Old Railway House in the little known village of Carno, the company grew to have 5,000 retail outlets worldwide. |
Sir Bernard's death comes 24 years after Laura Ashley died at 60 following an accident at her daughter's home. | Sir Bernard's death comes 24 years after Laura Ashley died at 60 following an accident at her daughter's home. |
In 1984, a year before Laura Ashley died, the firm had opened its new company headquarters in Newtown, Powys, creating 500 jobs. | |
But by the 1990 its fortunes faded, and in 2004 its former headquarters in Carno closed. | But by the 1990 its fortunes faded, and in 2004 its former headquarters in Carno closed. |
Sir Bernard, in my view, never got over the death of Laura Derrick Pugh, former Laura Ashley manager | |
Derrick Pugh, a former manager of Laura Ashley, described Sir Bernard as a "one-off". | Derrick Pugh, a former manager of Laura Ashley, described Sir Bernard as a "one-off". |
"Sir Bernard, in my view, never got over the death of Laura. Even though I left the company in 1989, we kept in touch. | "Sir Bernard, in my view, never got over the death of Laura. Even though I left the company in 1989, we kept in touch. |
"Whenever we were alone together he would always talk about the good days and the bad days, and what went wrong within the company. | "Whenever we were alone together he would always talk about the good days and the bad days, and what went wrong within the company. |
"He was a very trusting man, perhaps sometimes too trusting. There were times I could get very close to him, but other times he was very distant. | "He was a very trusting man, perhaps sometimes too trusting. There were times I could get very close to him, but other times he was very distant. |
'Shrewd businessman' | 'Shrewd businessman' |
"He was very a shrewd businessman and would not easily accept defeat. | "He was very a shrewd businessman and would not easily accept defeat. |
"I spoke to his personal assistant in France this morning, and I was pleased to have learned that he had returned to his grass roots here in mid Wales and he will be buried in Carno close to Laura. | "I spoke to his personal assistant in France this morning, and I was pleased to have learned that he had returned to his grass roots here in mid Wales and he will be buried in Carno close to Laura. |
"I'm sure the people of Carno will be very pleased about that." | "I'm sure the people of Carno will be very pleased about that." |
Glyn Davies, a former member of the Welsh assembly and ex-chairman of the Development Board for Rural Wales worked with Sir Bernard and said: "Mid Wales was incredibly fortunate that Laura and Bernard Ashley decided to bring their business to the region in the 1960s. | Glyn Davies, a former member of the Welsh assembly and ex-chairman of the Development Board for Rural Wales worked with Sir Bernard and said: "Mid Wales was incredibly fortunate that Laura and Bernard Ashley decided to bring their business to the region in the 1960s. |
"For decades, the company has provided work for many hundreds of people in Montgomeryshire, and still does so today." | "For decades, the company has provided work for many hundreds of people in Montgomeryshire, and still does so today." |
In later life Sir Bernard opened Llangoed Hall, a country house hotel near Brecon, and in 2000 he created Elanbach, a fabrics business. | In later life Sir Bernard opened Llangoed Hall, a country house hotel near Brecon, and in 2000 he created Elanbach, a fabrics business. |
Bernard Ashley married his second wife Regine Burnell in 1990. He is survived by her and by his two daughters and two sons by Laura Ashley. | Bernard Ashley married his second wife Regine Burnell in 1990. He is survived by her and by his two daughters and two sons by Laura Ashley. |
He was knighted in 1987. | He was knighted in 1987. |