We are thrilled to announce the birthday of Mick Hurd who was 90 Years old on 28th February 2021. He still regularly attends meetings and is a frequent letter writer to Catena. He has wide ranging talents and interest despite having 5 children (James, Sarah, Daniel, Rebecca and a little later on Jessica) with his late wife Cecilia.
Mick trained as a Quantity Surveyor and eventually joined Hart Gilmore Associates which became one of the three leading Quantity Surveyors in Birmingham. He specialised in office developments, schools and churches as well as housing. Some notable projects included – National Building Society Headquarters, an Office Block in Princes Way, Solihull, McClaren House in Birmingham City Centre, and the Citadel, Dale End and Multi storey Car Parks. A major part of Mick’s work was taken up with managing the Chichester office and the partnership housing schemes from Brighton to Cranford Heath
Mick was a founding member of the Sutton Coldfield Circle which was established in 1966 and took on the Circle’s Presidency (first time). Mick started the Circle’s first ‘Song Contest’ at the Town Hall where they had over 200 Brother’s. Many and varied were the performances including Tony Quirke’s notorious fireworks display, which nearly set the fire alarm off with his smoke bomb (He also set the musical accompaniment tape at double speed which upped the key a bit). He went on to serve 6 years as Provincial Councillor, and was instrumental in driving the creation of a Benevolence fund. On one visit to Mansfield and the Dukeries Circle he proudly witnessed benevolence in action when a Brother arrived at a meeting saying his factory had burnt down the night before and he had little money to survive. The Catenians responded effectively and quickly, as when he left the meeting, he carried £10,000 worth of cheques!
Not only was Mick a successful professional business man, an active Catenian, a proud family man but also a keen sportsman – a great Wicket keeper (unflinching behind the stumps), a good hockey player with Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club, a fair squash player, 5 a-side footballer, and a winning golfer and somewhere along the lines a champion conker winner.
Mick has been an inspiration to many, we all wish him well.
Sutton Coldfield Catenian Circle 232 