NOCK DEIGHTON are celebrating two momentous milestones this week with senior partner Robin Nettleton celebrating his 50th year with the firm and the agricultural department’s 20th anniversary at the new livestock premises at Tasley.
A mere fledgling, fresh from school, a young Robin (pictured) left his Yorkshire home and farming roots for Shropshire in search of a career in auctioneering. He began his training in March 1960 as an article clerk receiving the princely sum of 50 pence per week, but soon successfully qualified as an Associate of the Auctioneers Institute, which was later incorporated into the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
He added to his professional qualifications in 1978, when he was admitted as a full member of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers. When Robin joined Nock Deighton – who were established in 1831 as a local firm of livestock auctioneers – they operated out of a single office in Whitburn Street.
In the early 1960s, Robin recognised the emerging housing market and developed a successful residential estate agency business, which now spans four offices across the county in addition to a commercial and survey department in Shrewsbury. In the early 1980s the future of the livestock market looked uncertain, but Nock Deighton won the fight to secure planning consent to relocate the market from the town centre to its current home in Tasley. Since the first sale in 1990, the livestock market has survived BSE and foot and mouth disease.
In 1986, the firm was restructured and now provides two specialist disciplines, the agricultural department incorporating the livestock market, rural professional services and antique and collectables saleroom; and the residential estate agency with associated residential lettings, commercial and survey departments. Robin reflects on his last 50 years at Nock Deighton with pride, considering himself to be “very fortunate to have built his career with a firm such as Nock Deighton in a county like Shropshire”.
