David Wickins

David Allen Wickins (15 February 1920 – 28 January 2007), was an English accountant-turned-entrepreneur, best known for founding the world's largest vehicle remarketing business British Car Auctions, and saving Lotus Cars.

David Allen Wickins was born in Tilehurst, near Reading, Berkshire on 15 February 1920. The seventh child of an architect-turned-builder who was 64 when David was born, his father was one of the first civilian casualties killed in London at the start of the Nazi-Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

His mother was a successful antiques dealer, enabling him to be educated at St George's College, Weybridge, by Josephites. Wickins described his schooling as "very academic, very hard", though an aptitude for figures allowed him to run a betting book for fellow pupils.

On leaving school he was recommended to apply to take articles with accountants Deloitte & Co in London. On gaining his chartered membership, he volunteered to be posted to Cape Town, South Africa, working on financial audits for Rhodesian copper mines and Zambian sawmills.

At the start of the Second World War, due to the death of his father he decided to avoid the heavy conflict in Europe and joined the South African Navy. Seconded to the Royal Navy after 18 months, he reluctantly returned to England. Serving as a Lieutenant in motor torpedo boats based in East Anglia patrolling the North Sea, he served alongside both Edward du Cann (later a Conservative politician) and Owen Aisher (later a noted yachtsman/entrepreneur).

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