Charles Richard Ferens
East 1950-55
Richard was born in 1936 in Yorkshire and went to The Leys before reading Land Economy at Trinity Hall. After graduating in 1957 he started his career at Smith Woolley (land agents), living in Lincolnshire. In 1960, he married Penny and after eight years (and three daughters) he moved from there to Hertfordshire, continuing his work for Smith Woolley.
In 1975 Richard returned to Lincolnshire to manage private estates, college estates and to act as an arbitrator and a valuer for the Agriculture Mortgage Corporation.
By 1977 he had become Chairman of the Anglian Board of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, served on their main council and was Honorary Secretary of their rural division.
Richard was made a life member of the Royal Agricultural Society of England on his 21st birthday and this formed a long association with the society of over 50 years. It was while he was studying at Cambridge that he was first asked to help at the Royal Show. Starting as an Assistant Pig Steward he progressed through the ranks to become Manager of the Grand Ring, and was then appointed Honorary Director of the show from 1982-1987.
At the same time Richard had now started working for Strutt and Parker, continuing to advise on the management of estates in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
In 2002 Richard was appointed High Sheriff of Lincolnshire. He felt it was a very great honour and it enabled him to support many organisations and activities. He worked tirelessly and enthusiastically throughout his year.
Richard was a valued contributor to Lincolnshire’s charitable organisations and was Chairman of the Lincolnshire Community Foundation in 2007, Chairman of Lincolnshire Friends 2009, Board Member of the St Matthew Housing in Lincolnshire, Deputy President of St Johns Ambulance 2010, Church Warden of All Saints Church in Barrowby for 27 years, and Chairman of the Lincolnshire Rock Challenge. He had a passion for country life and sat on or chaired the committees for the Lincolnshire game fairs which were held at Grimsthorpe and Belvoir Castle.
For his work he was awarded the MBE and proudly received this from Her Majesty the Queen in 2010. He was also appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County.
As for Richard himself he was a loving and devoted family man, married for 62 years to Penny and proud of his three daughters. He never forgot his very happy and formative years in Cambridge and continued to go there for both business and pleasure throughout his life. He was a keen fisherman and loved many other country sports too.
Words by Sophie Henderson, Richard’s daughter