Following the sad news that Sir Nigel Forbes Adam had died last week at the age of 91, former club President and committee member Roger Hinchcliffe has written a few words to remember our ‘former landlord and club member.’
Sir Nigel Forbes Adam
His early working life was spent in industry because being the third son, he did not anticipate inheriting the Estate. Following the tragic death of his oldest brother in a car accident, the Estate passed to his brother Tim who was an ordained Church of England priest working as a curate in a London parish. Tim did not feel that his calling enabled him to inherit, so the Estate passed to Nigel.
At this time, Nigel was working as a trainee at the Hargreaves Group which occupation
he gave up in order to manage the Estate. He was 30 years of age at the time.
He became our landlord and there followed a very happy relationship with him throughout his stewardship, which originally began in 1932 when the Club was invited by an ancestor - Lord Wenlock - to relocate to Escrick Park.
Escrick Park was also the home of Escrick Park Cricket Club who also played on the parkland ground. So accommodation had to be made with them to enable both Clubs to play in harmony. As landlord therefore, Nigel was effectively wearing two hats which he did highly successfully, using his natural talent of being a good listener and when talking everyone through a tricky situation, leaving everyone with the feeling that all the participants had been fairly treated.
Nigel Forbes-Adam will be sadly missed by many and he will be remembered by all those who knew him as being the most delightful man - indeed he was.
Some years ago he handed over the running of the Estate to his son Charlie, with whom we also have a happy relationship which we are sure will continue well into future, thereby upholding the privileged connection we have with his family, which began at Escrick Park in 1932.”
Roger Hinchcliffe