Lord Haskins: Tributes paid to 'passionate champion for heritage' who died aged 88
Tributes have been paid to businessman, public servant and "passionate" champion for Hull's maritime heritage Chris Haskins, who has died at the age of 88.
Lord Haskins, who was ennobled as a life peer with the title Baron Haskins, of Skidby, in 1998, will be remembered for giving his time, energy and talents unstintingly to public service.
The son of a farmer, Lord Haskins grew up in County Wicklow, Ireland. At Trinity College, Dublin, he met Gilda Horsley, and when he later married her, he joined the family business, Northern Dairies, in East Yorkshire.
Lord Haskins became a director in 1967, deputy chairman in 1974, and was chairman from 1980 to 2002, having helped build the firm into one of Britain’s largest food manufacturers and a founding member of the FTSE.
During 2001, at the height of the foot and mouth disease epidemic, he became Prime Minister Tony Blair's "rural tsar".
He also served as chair of the Yorkshire Forward Regional Development Agency.
Hull Maritime Foundation - a charity established in 2018 - paid tribute to Lord Haskins' "deep commitment to celebrating and preserving the importance of Hull’s seafaring story."
Its founding chair, he was instrumental in setting up and securing major support for the Hull Maritime project, aimed at preserving and celebrating the city's 800-year seafaring history..
This year sees the fruition of the £70 million project, joint-funded by Hull Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Visitor attractions including Hull Maritime Museum and its historic ships are reopening to visitors after major revamps.
David Atkinson, Chair of Hull Maritime Foundation, said his work with the charity "exemplified his lifelong dedication to civic duty and cultural stewardship, plus his commitment to celebrating the history and strengths of his adopted city.
“Hull’s maritime story, its resilience and its relationship with the sea, was something he believed should be celebrated widely and protected carefully.
"His leadership, momentum and vision helped secure funding and raise awareness of the Hull Maritime project.
“He leaves behind an extraordinary imprint on Hull’s cultural landscape that will continue to shape the city for generations.”