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Derek Pearce
BORN on 30 May 1926, Derek was the youngest of four sons to a farming family in Gloucestershire. His education at Crypt Grammar School ended abruptly in 1940 when, aged 14, he returned home to help run the family farm with his brother Brian until 1947 and the return of his elder brothers from war service. The brothers tossed a coin to see who would carry on with the farm. Derek lost and left with £21 on a mission to get an education and make his way in the world.
Following a stint as a tractor driver he began in earnest what became a life marbled with education, gaining a scholarship to the Royal Agricultural College Cirencester, and winning the best student of the year award.
This was followed by a correspondence course with the British Institute of Management, which led to the publication of his book ‘Farm Business Management – Applications and Principles’. He also studied Law, English Literature, Economics, Philosophy, and Business Management over an 11 year period.
Advanced Farm Management
In 1961 he was the first UK agriculturalist to attend Harvard University’s Advanced Management Course, a direct result of which was his setting up ‘The Advanced Farm Management Course’ at Wye College in 1963.
Derek’s farming career took in positions as a Farm Manager at Manor Farm, Stanford in the Vale (1948-51), Farm Manager to the Earl of Bathurst at Taltton Farms in Cirencester (1951-59), during which time he married Nancy, his wife of 67 years, before moving to Cambridge to become Managing Director of the Haim’s 8,000 acre estate.
In 1964 he bought Oaks farm in Norfolk, which he eventually sold in 2007. Between 1967-70 he was Managing Director of Eastern Counties Farmers, the UK’s second largest agricultural cooperative, with over 900 employees, returning it to profit before he left.
Farming interests
With the unstinting support of his wife Nancy, Derek was highly influential on the national farming stage, becoming Chairman of The Farmers Club in 1973, chairing the Oxford Farming Conference and becoming Master of the Worshipful Company of Farmers in 1985.
Derek’s year as Chairman of The Farmers Club started on the very day of the UK’s accession to the EEC on 1 January 1973. That topic shaped talks and debates at the Club that year, including meat production, exporting and the future of the milk industry in the EEC.
He also introduced the concept of seminars on agricultural topics, which constituted talks followed by debate rather than paper reading followed by questions. This proved very popular.
The first significant event of his year was the visit of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, The Rt Hon J B Godber MP, who addressed the Club on many aspects of food production and marketing, and the continuing EEC negotiations.
Derek was a very keen and enthusiastic cheerleader for the Under 30s and brought considerable impetus to expanding its numbers and activity. He secured the attendance of the Rt Hon Jeremy Thorpe MP and esteemed news broadcaster Robert Dougal to The Farmers Club Annual Dinner, an event attracting 1000 people at Grosvenor House.
A self-made man with charm and supreme eloquence, Derek died on 11 November 2020 leaving his widow, Nancy, three children, Shirley, Jenny and George, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Derek George Pearce
Club Chairman in 1973
Andrei Spence
Club Chief Executive
