"He was a towering figure at the club... and people loved him"

Lancashire CCC was one of David Hodgkiss' life’s passions, serving the Red Rose for more than two decades, as board member, treasurer and vice-chairman before taking over as chairman in 2017. His passing was announced on Monday; he was 71

David Hodgkiss OBE was not only one of the most important figures at Lancashire County Cricket Club in recent times but also a titan of the structural engineering world who put people first and everything into his life’s endeavours.

Following news of the Lancashire chairman’s death earlier this week, aged 71, the outpouring of goodwill from across the cricket network underlined the significant regard he is held in at a time of introspection across all walks of life.

Lancashire CCC was one of his life’s passions, serving the Red Rose for more than two decades, as board member, treasurer and vice-chairman before taking over as chairman in 2017.

“Aside from friends and family (his passions in life were) Lancashire CCC, Bolton Wanderers and Timothy Taylor’s beer,” Reverend Malcolm Lorimer, Lancashire’s club historian and a close friend of Hodgkiss, said.

An opening batsman in his Repton School days and for Cumbrian side Cockermouth, Hodgkiss first became involved with the Red Rose county in 1996 when he agreed to become chairman of fellow Boltonian and former Lancashire captain Mike Watkinson’s benefit committee. 

The pair had worked together at Hodgkiss’ structural engineering company, William Hare, where Hodgkiss was the managing director and where Watkinson started as a draughtsman after sixth form.

Hodgkiss was a strong supporter of Watkinson’s career, during which he earned four England Test caps while still working at the company, and where he was released to play in the Lancashire second XI after Hodgkiss took a call from former Red Rose coach John Savage.

It was fitting that when Watkinson enjoyed a benefit year in 1996, it was Hodgkiss who was the benefit chairman, with Lorimor on the committee to begin a memorable chapter in Lancashire Cricket during which Hodgkiss became “a towering figure”.

“Well, myself and David just seemed to click and got on really well,” Lorimer recalled.

“We have since been on holiday together. I went fishing with him in Iceland, where I caught my first and only salmon. Fly-fishing was another thing he loved.

“After Mike’s benefit, David stood for the committee in 1998 and asked me to propose him.

“At that stage, the ground was a bit past its sell by date. It was in need of redevelopment, which David would later become an integral part of.

“He became treasurer in 2003 for 10 years, then vice-chairman to Michael Cairns and chairman when he stepped down in 2017.

“If you think of what’s happened at the club in the time he’s been involved, the committee moving to a board, the ground redevelopment, he’s played a central part in all of that. He was a towering figure at the club and also well respected by the ECB.

^{Hodgkiss first became involved with Lancashire in 1996}

“He was a very unassuming gentleman and had a way of getting on with everybody from the cleaner to the top businessmen. People loved him.

“When he was Mike’s benefit chairman, he was very hands on. 

“I will always remember we were going around with the bucket collections during one of the two semi-finals against Yorkshire at Old Trafford in 1996, and David went into where all the Yorkshire supporters were.

“He came out and said, ‘I think I collected 5p and was lucky to get out alive! It didn’t help that whilst I was in there Mike took two wickets, but I enjoyed the banter’. That was him all over.”

Former Red Rose captain Watkinson agreed with Lorimer’s reflection that Hodgkiss was someone who “put 110 percent into life”.

The ex-England allrounder said: “He just didn’t slow down. He had his fingers in so many pies, including remaining as managing director of William Hare whilst as Lancashire chairman.

“I’ve known him for about 40 years. When I left sixth form and was embarking upon a new career, his company, along with his father Bartle, offered me a job.

“I was still working for the engineering company when I was playing for England. That’s how long I was with them.

“He was a very generous man but a ruthless businessman as well. If you worked for him, you had to be loyal, committed and work hard. If you did that, he would look after you. I think that shone through when he came to Lancashire.

“The majority of people will miss him for what he’s given to Lancashire Cricket Club, but you have to remember his company’s being going since 1945 and is one of the world leaders in structural engineering. 

“His parents, his sister and himself have driven that business in the same way he has done with the progression of Lancashire.

“Whilst he has friends and adopted family associated with cricket, I would suggest the breadth of feeling at this moment will actually be greater through the structural engineering world.”

Courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network.