John Desmond 'Denny' Spence

ONE of the region’s best known farmers, who lost nearly all his dairy herd to foot-and-mouth in 2001, has died, aged 82. John Desmond Spence, better known as Denny, worked since the age of 14 on Frankham Farm, Fourstones. A vocal campaigner on farming issues, his passion lay in improving conditions for everyone involved in agriculture. He trained and encouraged numerous young people, and sat on Warden and Fourstones Parish Council. Committed to the residents of his area, he marked the millennium through a committee set up to renovate Newbrough Town Hall. Denny, who died last Friday is survived by his wife Helen, his children John and Anne, and his grandchildren, Caroline, Pippa, Edward, Henry and Bertie. Born on October 3, 1925, at Middle Lipwood, near Haydon Bridge, Denny moved to Fourstones when he was six years old after his father bought Frankham. He attended Newbrough School then Haydon Bridge School, gaining early experience on the farm in ploughing with horses. At 14, he left education as war had broken out and took on the job of ploughing marginal land to grow additional crops. In 1953 he married Helen, whom he met at the Highland Show in Aberdeen. John was born two years later and his sister three years after that. Throughout his time working with his father, Denny brought about some innovative changes. In 1962, he built a new dairy unit, and was one of the first farmers in the county to introduce parlour milking, self-feed silage and loose housing. As the unit expanded, milk yields increased dramatically, going from an average of around 4,200 litres per cow in the 1960s to just over 9,000 litres in recent years. In the 1970s Denny became heavily involved in the National Farmers’ Union, becoming county chairman at one point. He also worked with Newcastle University Agricultural Society and the Country Landowners’ Association. When the Milk Marketing Board was abolished, he was involved in establishing a group to market to the Co-op in Newcastle. John, who worked with Denny from 1975 onwards, described his father as passionate and organised – qualities that came into play when foot-and-mouth struck seven years ago. A total of 558 of Frankham’s 600 dairy cows were lost during the outbreak, but Denny remained in control. Working with Defra, he had the farm open again within eight months. It is currently operating as an arable enterprise, in conjunction with the arable farm Denny set up in 1975 at Whitchester, near Heddon-on-the-Wall. “I think people will remember my father as a man who had great energy,” said John. “He was a very kind man who was always looking to help people. He was also great family man. He loved his family.” Denny’s funeral will take place tomorrow at St Peter’s Church, Newbrough, at 11am.