It is with regret and great sadness that we have to inform you all of the sad passing of our President /Chairman, peacefully in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn in early March.
John’s first involvement in the Tournament was as a player in his 40s, in the early 1980s.The retired Suffolk farmer, who was a boarder at Hunstanton’s Glebe House School in the early 1940s, was well known in North Norfolk as he sailed out of Brancaster Staithe and owned a house in the area.
John was elected President/Chairman following the retirement of Ken Bush in the late eighties.
John gave much time and energy, along with his technical experience to the tournament and was an influential and active player and supporter of the Tournament for over 40 years.
John played a great part in enabling the Tournament to grow to the size it is today. He was not content to be just a figurehead as he was never happier than when he was actively involved, always putting his hand into building, repairing, and acquiring equipment. His car was always full of tools, paints, odd pieces of wood and metal that might come in useful one day, and a bucket full of assorted cable ties!
It was through his efforts that we now have two storage containers, painted, and single-handedly covered by John one winter with a new roof when water leakage was becoming a serious problem.
His greatest claim to fame however came when he designed the 40 new unique metal court posts and had them manufactured to his exact specifications along with purchasing of all the surround netting and equipment for the outfield. These are the additional 28 courts we now use on the cricket outfield today.
When it comes to “set up week” this year there will be an empty void when my main man and his valuable help practical abilities will be missing along with his cable ties!
We owe him so much and will miss him greatly.
