JOHN APTHORP CBE, 1935 – 2024
John Apthorp CBE died peacefully on 9th July 2024 aged 89 after a short illness. Serial entrepreneur and Guardian Young Businessman of the Year, John founded Bejam frozen food and turned Majestic Wine into the national success it is today. A generous philanthropist, he was awarded the CBE in 2014 for his charitable work.
John is probably not known by many of the fishermen who visit the Tay but without John’s very generous financial support, the hatchery and office facilities at Almondbank would have closed some time ago.
John’s generosity wasn’t just restricted to the hatchery. He was a major contributor to the Northumbrian Drift Net Appeal in 2002 and facilitated the Salmon in the Classroom Project by providing small fridges to keep incubating salmon eggs alive in hot classrooms.
These acts of generosity, among many, many others, earned John the Tay Salmon Conservation Award on two occasions, firstly in 2008 and again in 2011.
Indeed, in 2021 in recognition of the generous financial support from John, the hatchery was named The Summerhill Hatchery in his honour, Summerhill being John’s beloved home in Stanley on the banks of the Tay.
At that time Dr David Summers said “Without Mr Apthorp’s generosity over many years, contributing to building work, equipment and operational costs, there is simply no way we would have been operating this unique facility today. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude, so it was really fitting he was able to officially name the Summerhill Hatchery.”
Without John’s contributions to the hatchery, the project to re-water the upper Garry would have been exactly that, water and no fish!
John also joined the Tay DSFB in 2002 and was an enthusiastic member of the Board for many years.
John was a very keen fisherman and had many timeshare weeks on various beats on the Tay, and elsewhere, and was a frequent visitor with his wife Jane, family and friends.
When not fishing John enjoyed playing bridge with his fishing guests at Summerhill.
John was a bon vivant who was generous not only with his time but also with his advice and knowledge.
We are sure we speak for all the people who met him on the Tay, ghillies, owners and anglers, when we say he will be very sadly missed by those who had the pleasure of knowing him.