UK Scrap metal baron passes away

CANTERBURY (Scrap Monster): Donald Crawley, founder of the London Iron and Steel Company has passed away on Saturday at the age of 81. According to media reports, he was popularly known as ‘Big Don’ within the scrap metal industry.

Donald Crawley was born in 1934. He built his scrap metal empire from Deptford. In 1980s, his company had employed around 200 workers at six wharves across Deptford and Greenwich. According to estimates, the company had grown to such an extent that its monthly exports of scrap iron and steel from the six wharves reached nearly 40,000 tonnes.

The company had then taken over several scrap metal yards from former Parrys Metals. It also ran operations at Victoria Deep Water Terminal and Carpenter’s Road European Metal Processing Plant in Stratford, east London.

Crawley, who suffered from dementia in his later years, is survived by his wife Betty, sons Donald (junior), David, Tony, Robert, daughter Lee Battye-Crawley and his grandchildren.

The details of funeral are awaited.