Professor Patrick Nuttgens: Leeds blue plaque honour for polymath

Professor Patrick Nuttgens CBE was an educator, broadcaster, writer, architect, and painter.

He was the founding director of Leeds Polytechnic - now Leeds Beckett University - where he pioneered vocational and technical higher education.

Prof Nuttgens was a prolific broadcaster, making TV programmes on Leeds, architecture, housing and planning, as well as publishing books on those subjects.

His main legacies were to challenge the way people thought about the nature of vocational education and its methods of teaching as well as the nature of the places we live in.

His work and contributions are now being recognised with a blue plaque from Leeds Civic Trust. It is due to be unveiled on Friday March 14 12:.30pm at Leeds Beckett University and will be later put up on the Leslie Silver building.

Leeds Civic Trust Director Martin Hamilton said: “Patrick Nuttgen’s was a true polymath. His achievements in a single field are impressive but when taken together, they point to a man who had an incredible impact on public life at a local and national level“

Peg Alexander, daughter of Professor Patrick Nuttgens, said: “We are so proud that our father made a massive contribution to vocational and practical education as a whole in this country, to broadcasting and also to the city of Leeds.

“Just like himself as a broadcaster, Leeds Polytechnic under his leadership in its day was also a national pioneer in thinking about higher education’s role in vocational education and giving people practical skills. He put Leeds on the education map, and also put Leeds and architecture and thinking about planning on the TV, and at the time was one of the city’s most known figures. To this day I am always so touched by the many, many people who talk about how they never forgot meeting him or working with him. His charm, gregariousnous, intellect, conversation and interest in finding out more about people which knew no bounds.”

She added: “ He really was unique and inimitable and it’s so wonderful to see his contribution to the city recognised in this plaque.”

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Leeds Civic Trust is a charity established in 1965 that promotes the improvements of Leeds in the spheres of planning, architecture, heritage, and city amenities.

It is the custodian of the blue plaque scheme in the city and has unveiled more than 200 plaques across the district since 1987 celebrating people, events and buildings that have made a significant contribution to the city of Leeds.