Len Buckeridge
Born
Leonard Walter Buckeridge

(1936-06-15)15 June 1936
Died11 March 2014(2014-03-11) (aged 77)
Mosman Park, Western Australia, Australia
NationalityAustralian
EducationPerth Modern School
Alma materPerth Technical College
Occupations
  • Architect
  • Property developer
Years active1959–2014
OrganizationBuckeridge Group of Companies
Known forArchitecture, construction
SpouseJudith Lyon
Partner(s)Sick Puay Koh
(aka Tootsie Ambrose)
Children6

Leonard Walter Buckeridge (15 June 1936 – 11 March 2014[1]) was an Australian businessman known for founding the Buckeridge Group of Companies.[2][3][4]

Early life

Buckeridge attended Perth Modern School then trained as an architect at Perth Technical College.[2][5][6] In his final year of studies Buckeridge won the James Hardie Prize for his thesis "The Economical House".[citation needed]

Career

Buckeridge built high-rise buildings in Perth and elsewhere through his company, Buckeridge Group of Companies. He also owned James Point Pty Ltd.[2][3]

In September 2012, Buckeridge sued a former fork-lift driver who allegedly posted defamatory comments on Facebook about him. The former employee was backed by United Voice.[4]

In November 2012, he sued the Government of Western Australia for A$1 billion regarding a delay in construction on Cockburn Sound.[3][7] Premier Colin Barnett counselled him to drop the lawsuit.[8] Buckeridge also sued about a delay in the construction of the Perth Arena.[9][10]

Personal life

Buckeridge married Judith Lyon, and they had five children Lise, Rachel, Andrew, Sam, Joshua. His de facto partner for forty years was Sick Puay Koh, also known as Tootsie Ambrose,[11] mother of Julian.[12][2][13]

He lived in the Perth suburb of Mosman Park.[2][4] Prior to his death, in January 2013, his net worth was estimated as US$1.4 billion.[2] He died of a heart attack at his home on 11 March 2014, aged 77 years.[13][14] In 2016, 22 family members initiated three separate proceedings in the Supreme Court of Western Australia to contest his A$2.5 billion estate.[15][16][17] Under Buckeridge's 2008 will which vested in 2019, his empire was divided among 15 heirs — his six children, eight grandchildren and partner, Tootsie Ambrose.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Leonard (Len) Walter Buckeridge". Heaven Address. n.d. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "The World's Billionaires - Leonard Buckeridge". Forbes. March 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b c Trenwith, Courtney (6 November 2012). "Premier's potentially costly Len Buckeridge gaffe". WA Today. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Cordingley, Glen (1 September 2012). "Billionaire sues forklift driver". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  5. ^ Buckeridge, Len (1947). "Chapel of S.S. Mary & George [Guildford] : [plan]". Historic buildings. Perth Technical College. Dept. of Architecture. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via Trove, National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Macdonald, Kim (20 October 2011). "WA's Rich List". The West Australian. p. 28.
  7. ^ Powell, Graeme; O'Connor, Andrew; Macmillan, Jade (6 November 2012). "Buckeridge sues over private port delays". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Premier urges Buckeridge to drop $1b lawsuit". The West Australian. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Perth arena cost blows out to $548.7 million". WA Today. 28 December 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  10. ^ "BGC's Len Buckeridge baulks at Perth Arena penalty fees". Perth Now. AAP. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  11. ^ "Len Buckeridge's longtime partner Tootsie buys in Mosman Park". Property Observer. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  12. ^ Murrell, Andrew (9 October 2016). "Brawl over Billions builds up to a boil". The Weekend Australian.
  13. ^ a b Orr, Aleisha (11 March 2014). "Perth billionaire Len Buckeridge dead". WA Today. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  14. ^ Burrell, Andrew (11 March 2014). "Len Buckeridge, founder of builder BGC, has died age 77". The Australian. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  15. ^ "Brawl over property tycoon Len Buckeridge's billions boils over". The Australian. 8 October 2016.
  16. ^ "BGC construction firm put up for sale to resolve Len Buckeridge heirs' family feud". ABC News. Australia. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  17. ^ Clarke, Tim (22 August 2015). "Fight over Buckeridge billions". The West Australian. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  18. ^ Newell, Daniel (28 February 2019). "Buckeridge sons, stepson step back from BGC Group roles, with sale of building and materials construction businesses on indefinite hold". The West Australian. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
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