In Loving Memory of Tom Walker, Founder of Tom Walker & Sons

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Tom Walker, founder of Tom Walker & Sons, who passed away peacefully at home on Saturday 11 April, aged 93.

Tom was a highly respected and well-known figure throughout the British cheese industry. Apart from his National Service during the Korean War, he devoted more than 50 years of his working life to the trade, beginning his career in 1946 and retiring in 1997.

Tom started at Whitelocks Cheese Distributors in Stockton, rising from van boy to General Manager. During his time there, Whitelocks became part of the Dairy Crest operation, and Tom was widely admired for his deep knowledge of cheese and his principled approach to business.

In 1982, Tom left Whitelocks to establish the company that still proudly bears his name. What began as a small regional wholesale distributor grew under his leadership into the specialist cheese packing and national distribution business that Tom Walker & Sons is today. The company is now a member of the Albex Group, continuing the standards and values Tom instilled from the outset.

Tom’s expertise, warmth of character, and unwavering ethical approach earned him the respect of customers and competitors alike. Even after retirement, he remained closely connected to the industry he loved, serving for many years on judging panels at the Nantwich International Cheese Awards and the Great Yorkshire Show.

Tom will be remembered not only for his remarkable career, but also for his integrity, generosity of spirit, and lasting contribution to the cheese industry.