PHILIP Hendry spent much of his life in Bedfordshire but he never forgot his Aberdeenshire roots. He will be particularly missed at the Royal Highland Show, where for the past 16 years his well-modulated voice became the hallmark of commentaries in the main ring.
He maintained and extended his ties with Scotland as secretary of the International Sheep Dog Society, ably assisted by Dorothy, his wife, and finishing only last year.
Born at Haddo House, where his father was estate architect, he attended Robert Gordon's College and Aberdeen University, where he studied agriculture. By the age of 21, he was employed on Bovril's farm in Bedfordshire, noted for its black Aberdeen Angus cattle herd.
Membership of Toastmasters Clubs - initially in Aberdeen - fostered an interest in public speaking and he started the first club in the south of England and one in Bedford itself, where he rose to be area governor. He was a founder member of Aberdeen Young Farmers Club at just 16.
His interest in public speaking led to commentating at local agricultural shows and ultimately to major shows in England and Northern Ireland. While commentating at an international sheepdog event at the Royal Highland Show in the 1980s, he was invited to join the main ring commentary team. He always considered it an honour to contribute his time and gifts, which he did gladly and freely for the four days of the show.
In earlier years, he was an active Round Tabler. He and his wife bred many hundreds of Corgis and he became a qualified show judge. He was also governor of two private schools in Bedford, together with a prestigious local authority upper school. Professionally,
he was chairman of Chesham Insurance Service Ltd, brokers in Bedford.
From 1973, Mr Hendry was a Bedfordshire county councillor and leader of the Conservative group for 25 years. He served as leader of the council for 13 years, a position he retained up to his last meeting in July this year. In 1993, he was awarded a CBE for public and political services.
He is survived by his widow and her two daughters, by his two sons from a previous marriage, and by his brother.
Philip Hendry CBE; born November 20, 1932, died September 16, 2002.
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