Michael Ferns writes as follows:

Arthur D Ferns (EH 25-28) died aged 95 in January 2008. “Although he was not at school many years he made his mark, especially on the sports fields. I understand he played for the 1st XV, and I have a tankard engraved with his name for the under 16 Half and Quarter Mile. There is no date but I assume it would have been in 1928. When I was at school I recall seeing his name on the Junior Cross Country Cup in a year when it resided on School House. I certainly did not inherit the running genes! In April 1929, just before his 17th birthday, Arthur joined Sandoz Chemical Company Ltd, the Swiss dye/chemical concern at their office in Bradford. The management, at Sandoz, saw that Arthur had potential, and he was transferred to their Scottish Agency in Glasgow in 1931. In 1933, on the inauguration of the Glasgow Branch, he became its first manager.

Arthur joined the West of Scotland rugby club initially as a player, becoming captain (1933 to 1935) then, after his playing days, continued as an administrator, including a stint as secretary, until he moved back to Yorkshire for business reasons. At this time he was made an Honorary Member and he never lost touch with the Wests. The Yorkshire Rugby Union have told me that in 1933 he played three times for Yorkshire on a Southern tour of Cornwall, Devon & Somerset. Unfortunately he never spoke to me about these times. How often does this happen? Whilst in Glasgow he was instrumental in West of Scotland finding a new ground after the Second World War, where they play today, rather than sharing with the cricket club.

After nearly 20 years in Scotland Arthur returned to Bradford at a time when the business was expanding so the need to find a new headquarters was paramount. This was erected at Horsforth near Leeds. In 1957 he was appointed joint- Managing Director along with a Swiss, then, on the latter's retirement in 1967, sole Managing Director, a position he held until his retirement from full-time management in 1977. He remained a non-executive Director of several of the group’s boards until 1988. During the 1970s he made several visits to Sydney as the company built their Australian headquarters in Sydney. One of his visits coincided with the year he was President of the Society of Dyers & Colourists.

Arthur and Pat were married in 1938, a few months after my parents. They did not have any children and his wife died in 1989. They lived in Harrogate for the last 30 years and during that time Arthur was a member of Panel Golf Club. I recall his saying on one occasion that he took an interest in Harrogate Rugby Club. I believe he also enjoyed a day at the races. In recent years he had great difficulty walking, although his mind was still very active. Whilst his movement was limited, he enjoyed watching sport on the TV and many times remarked to me about the quality of some team or other.”

The St. Beghian Society,
St. Bees School, St. Bees, Cumbria, CA27 0DS
Tel: 01946 828093
osb@st-bees-school.co.uk