A stalwart of the rowing scene and a partner in one of the town’s most historic businesses has died, aged 67.
Derek Brown, of Fortune’s Kippers, passed away peacefully in Whitby Hospital on Regatta Sunday (August 9) after a battle with prostate cancer.
He grew up on the east side of Whitby with older brother Barry and younger brother Alan. Their father was a merchant seaman and away for long periods so the boys spent their childhood on Church Street, in the flat above what was Johnson’s Pork Butchers, and on Henrietta Street where their grandparents lived.
Derek went to Whitby West School as it was known then (Caedemon) and had a number of jobs when he left school including fishing, working with surveyors at Redcar Steelworks, and in the signal box at Ruswarp for British Rail.
He joined his uncle, Bill Fortune, in the 1970s working at Fortune’s Kipper House, which has been in the same family for five generations. All three of the Brown brothers worked at the tiny smokehouse on Henrietta Street, where Derek and Barry would go on to be partners in the business.
Derek, of Lilla Close, continued to work throughout his illness as much as he could, said Barry who has been joined in carrying on the family tradition by Derek’s eldest son, Daniel, and Barry’s youngest daughter, Beth.
Away from work, Derek was a keen rower and, unlike most rowers who are red or blue, Derek rowed for both the Friendship and Fisherlads clubs.
He also used to play Saturday and Sunday league football for Fishburn, Fylingdales, the Black Horse and Granby teams over the years.
Barry said: “He rowed for both clubs, which is a little bit unusual, but he just loved rowing and came with us too. The three of us have done the same and we rowed together.
“I worked with him every day. It still hasn’t really sunk in, it is difficult. I know the dates won’t always be the same, but every time it is Regatta we will be reminded of him.”
Derek leaves his wife Sarah, sons Daniel and Matthew and two grandsons.
The funeral service is at St Hilda’s Church, West Cliff, Whitby tomorrow (Tuesday August 25), 1.30pm, followed by cremation at Woodlands Crematorium, Scarborough at 3pm. Family flowers only with donations if desired, to share between St Hilda’s Church and Prostrate Cancer UK.
Refreshments following the church service will be at The Friendship.
