We regret to announce the sad news that Ken Carr, a club Vice-president for fifty years, passed away peacefully at home in Sandon on Thursday, 19 January.
Kenneth Edmund Carr
22 April, 1927 to 19 January, 2023
Although Ken was not a hockey player, he was a keen cricketer and one of the driving forces behind the move of the Cricket Club and Men’s and Ladies’ Hockey Clubs to the new Chelmer Park ground in 1971. Up to that time, the clubs had played at the County Cricket ground, Chelmsford County High School for Girls and Admirals or Melbourne Park. At Chelmer Park, there were six grass hockey pitches and three cricket squares, Ken having been involved with the Borough Council in persuading them to find the land and build the changing rooms, tea room and clubhouse.
He was Chairman of the cricket club in the late ’60s and early ’70s when the County Ground had been sold by the Trust owners to the County Cricket Club although, according to Ken, the Cricket and Hockey clubs had submitted a higher offer! He, along with Alan Gemmill and Sheila Lawrence were Trustees of the Sports Club for many years, the function of the Sports Club being to administer the bar and clubhouse for the constituent clubs.
On retiring from playing cricket Ken became an Essex League umpire, President of Chelmsford CC, and was an Honorary Life member for 50 years. A Chartered Accountant, many of you will know of his business, Edmund Carr, in New London Road which Ken started as a sole practitioner in 1953, before retiring in 1990.
Ken leaves behind Doreen, his wife of 70 years, and children David, a regular hockey and cricketer at Chelmsford for many years, Amanda, Nigel and Richard, along with five grandchildren. The thoughts of all at Chelmsford Hockey Club are with Doreen and the rest of Ken’s family.
A Service of Thanksgiving for Ken’s life is to be held on Monday 27th February at 2.30pm at Sandon church, and afterwards at the village hall next door. It is best to park at the village hall for the service. Donations to Farleigh Hospice please.