William Whitton of Arbroath, who founded the largest independent flooring company in north-east Scotland, has died aged 77.
The business began in 1973 as W. Whitton & Son which specialised in upholstery and loose covers, employed around 15 people and serviced all over Scotland.
Just over 30 years ago, Whittons Flooring Ltd was formed which supplies and installs carpets and flooring.
It went on to have a major presence in Arbroath, Forfar and Dundee.
Formative years
William James Michie Whitton, known as Bill, was born in Arbroath on July 30 1946 to William Todd Whitton and Janet Whitton.
His father ran the Panmure Arms pub in the town before becoming manager of the Co-operative.
Bill began his education at the then Park House School before moving up to Arbroath High School where he enjoyed playing football.
When he left school Bill began working at soft furnishing firm Smith & Horner in Dundee.
He met his future wife Elizabeth (Betty) at The Marine Ballroom in Arbroath.
They married in 1972 and went on to have three of a family, Billy in 1974, Neil in 1978 and Susan in 1980, and, in time, six grandchildren, Marc, Emma, Jamie, Zak, Ross and Abbie.
The year after he married, Bill formed W. Whitton & Son.
Expansion
In 1990, when Billy joined the business, the firm went into flooring and Whittons Flooring Ltd was formed with premises in Dens Road, Arbroath.
Ten years later a branch in Forfar opened followed by a Dundee outlet in 2005.
The business continued to grow and now employs 50 people specialising in domestic and commercial flooring making Whittons Flooring Ltd the largest independent flooring company in the north-east of Scotland.
Billy said: “We bought land in Arbroath and had a purpose-built building constructed which dad was extremely proud of, especially at it was next to the flats where we first lived.”
Bill never missed watching his sons playing football or Susan at Highland dancing.
He enjoyed a game of golf and loved his boxing.
Leisure time
Many a night was spent with his sons watching the big fights on television until the early hours.
He had a passion for music from the 1960s and 1970s and spent a lot of time at his holiday home in Spain.
Neil said: “He was a man of few words except when in salesman mode but quite witty, and he was very proud of the business he started and what his sons has gone on to achieve with it. He was also very proud of Susan’s nursing career.”
Due to the untimely and tragic death of his wife Betty he was always interested in supporting the RNLI.
He missed Betty greatly but had found happiness again with Rowena in the last few years of his life.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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