Former Hampshire County Cricket Club Chairman Geoffrey Ford past away last Friday (14th September) aged 86.

He became a keen Hampshire fan and member at the ripe age of 5, when he and his family moved from Yorkshire in 1921, his father Percy Ford was a Vice-Chairman of the club in the 1940s-1950s.

Geoffrey continued his close association when he was elected Chairman of the Committee in 1969 a post he held with pride until 1986 a term of 17 years. His son Brian followed him into the post shortly after. A popular figure at the club until his recent illness, he lost his wife Olive in 1994.

A Chartered Accountant in Bournemouth throughout his working life, he found time to sit on a number of cricket committees. Apart from his beloved Hampshire, he was Chairman of the Club Cricket Conference in 1979, sat on the Finance Committee of the old T.C.C.B. As a younger man he was a mean fast bowler and captain of Bournemouth Cricket Club.

His son Brian told me today, that he was able to tell Dad that Hampshire had been promoted to the first division on Thursday, which raised a smile. He had visited the New Hampshire Rose Bowl on a couple of occassions during the past season, and had been mightally impressed.

All at Hampshire County Cricket Club, offer our sympathy to all his family and friends on this sad loss.

© Hants CCC