Born in Blackpool in 1945 to working class parents, Townsley began his career in travel in the early 1960s at Blackpool airport, where he worked as a passenger handling apprentice.
In 1970, Townsley used his redundancy pay to set up his first travel shop, Trident Travel. By 1978, this had evolved into Gold Medal Travel, which was the UK's largest British-owned tour operator when Townsley sold it to Thomas Cook in 2009.
The group has since been acquired by dnata and lives on today through Gold Medal and its other trade-only brands – Pure Luxury, Cruise Plus and Incredible Journeys.
In 2015, Townsley established The Kentown Wizard Foundation in his native Blackpool, with the aim of positively impacting the lives of children and young adults with life-threatening conditions and serious disabilities.
He has since donated or pledged in excess of £100 million to the foundation, as well as donating to charities such as London-based Operation Smile, which provides free surgery for children in developing countries suffering a variety of facial deformities.
"I didn't want to just leave this money in my will to benefit various charities at some point in the future," Townsley explained at the time. "I wanted to see it being used to help those in need now, today and tomorrow and to know that my success has been put to the best possible use."
Townsley "passed away peacefully" on Saturday (24 January).
A statement from The Kentown Wizard Foundation read: "Ken was a self-made man, but he was also a man of great humility, compassion and purpose. He believed strongly in using his success to benefit others and was content to work quietly in doing so.
"His legacy will live on through the countless lives changed as a result of his extraordinary generosity."
'He led with a quiet, unwavering kindness'
Gold Medal paid its own tribute to Townsley on Wednesday (28 January). "Ken founded Gold Medal in Blackpool in 1978, building the business from the ground up with a vision to place Gold Medal at the forefront of emerging holiday destinations," said the group. "His entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to travel saw him establish Gold Medal as a true pioneer in the industry.
"Those who knew Ken personally, many who still work at Gold Medal today, remember him fondly as a man of deep humility who led not through grand gestures, but through a quiet, unwavering kindness that defined the workplace. While not a man for the spotlight, he was known for his vast heart and caring for his team with a sincerity that went far beyond professional duty, treating everyone with kindness and respect.
"Our thoughts are with Ken's family and loved ones at this difficult time."
Managing director Simon Applebaum added: "While I never had the privilege of knowing Ken personally, his legacy is woven into every part of Gold Medal. The company he built, the pioneering spirit he championed, and the values of kindness and respect he embedded into our culture continue to guide us today.
"We are deeply grateful for the foundations he laid which have allowed Gold Medal to thrive and grow into the business it is today. Our thoughts are with Ken’s family and all of our colleagues, past and present, who were fortunate enough to know him."
