Sir Ernest Hall

Published: April 26, 1998, 10:15 a.m.

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Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the businessman Sir Ernest Hall.

His life is like a fairytale. From a sickly boy, living in the one room he and his family shared, he became a successful businessman and millionaire - and all because of an inspirational piece of music. Today on the site of an old carpet factory in Halifax, he's brought together his two loves - business and the arts - to form an environment in which plastic-bag manufacturers and building societies draw inspiration from the painters and sculptors who work alongside. At the age of 68 he has also realised his ambition to be a professional pianist.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Piano Trio in B Major by Franz Schubert\\nBook: The collected works by William Blake\\nLuxury: Piano

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