Martin Broom MDE 1934 - 2013

Martin Broom, MBE, a champion of the Norfolk Broads and a pioneer and leader in the boat-building industry, has sadly passed away at 79 years old. Martin contributed thirty years service to the Broads Authority; sixty years creating the wonderful marque, Broom Boats, and years of dedication to the national marine industry. A boatbuilding champion in the heart of Broadland for half a century and a race-winning sailor, Martin took up the challenge to use a revolutionary material, fibreglass, which transformed the long-established family company at Brundall. It was three years ago that the third-generation boatbuilder sold Broom's Boats, founded by his grandfather in 1898, to new investors. A member of the Broads Authority for thirty years, he had a passion for boats and sailing which was infectious. In the 1991 new year's honours, he was made MBE for his service to the marine industry and Broadland. Martin took over from his father at the age of thirty, having spent just a year working in the business, he faced a much more immediate challenge. His father had a heart attack, his uncle died, and his cousin decided to go into the church, leaving him in charge of a boatyard employing 25 men. But fibreglass was to revolutionise boatbuilding. Broom's started in 1965, building hulls made by Aquafibre's entrepreneurs John Linford and Ian Macintosh, who had set up the business with a consortium of boatyards including his family company. Broom's gained overall control of Aquafibre, then based in Rackheath, near Norwich, in 1971. It developed a range of sea-going and Broads fibreglass craft, which were sold to national and international buyers. Born at Brundall in June 1934, he went to Norwich School and then became a boat-building apprentice with Herbert Woods at Potter Heigham. He did National Service as a boat repairer in the air-sea rescue service at Plymouth. The family's boating business had been established by his grandfather, Charles John Broom, at Brundall. In those days, it maintained privately-owned wooden yachts and built craft to order. In the 1920s, it started hiring sailing boats and by 1939 had built up a small fleet of motor cruisers. He joined his father, Basil, who had taken on the firm, which during the war built lifeboats and destroyer tenders for the Admiralty. At the same time, he promoted the Broads as a holiday destination for private owners and the hire sector. He became vice-chairman of Blakes Holidays, which enjoyed conspicuous success from the late 1960s onwards. Introducing post-war Britain to the novelty of boats also featured strongly with dealings with the Beaverbrook empire led by Max Aitken and the Daily Express's sponsorship of the London Boat Show. He was a leader with the British Marine Federation, which included a two-year term as chairman for the International Boat Shows. He was also a board member of the Yarmouth Port and Haven Commissioners, long-serving member of the Broads Society. With other organisations, he had worked from the 1950s to bring about the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act, which set up the Broads Authority in 1989. He was the first chairman of the authority's navigation committee since its inception in 1988. When he retired almost two years ago, he was presented with a half model of his 14ft Norfolk One-Design Dinghy, number 59, Tideway. He was vice-chairman of the Broads Authority from 2002 to 2005. Mr Broom, who lived at Strumpshaw, has served on the authority's planning committee since it was formed in 1983. A committee member of Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association and several Broads sailing clubs, he was commodore of the River Cruiser Class. Sailing in a Norfolk dinghy, he was still competing until last year and won more than 150 trophies with his favourite craft during his career. He was also a multiple winner over the years in September's Yare Navigation race from Coldham to Breydon Water. His record as one of the county's best helmsmen set him apart whether racing at the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club or elsewhere. He relaxed by sailing his 38ft river cruiser, Rausena, built by Herbert Woods in 1932, and his other boats included the Yare and Bure half decker one design, Apollo. He once said that he had only taken up sailing in 1948, then aged fourteen because Tideway had been built for his older brother, Graham. When he went into the Merchant Navy, he didn't want to waste her. By 1972, when he had enjoyed triple success in the Diamond Jubilee Gold Challenge Cup, he was dubbed 'Martin King of Norfolk Dinghies'. He dominated the traditional clinker class, also White Boats and then Enterprises, sailing Maidamistake. And in 21 years, he won the Frostbites 18 times. One of the proudest moments of his long career was taking the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh down river on the Broom-built 45ft motor cruiser Albert of Blofield. Later this year, he was to have been presented by the Princess Royal, president of the Royal Yachting Association, with a life-time achievement award. Martin Broom leaves a widow, Jennifer, and two daughters, Mandy and Emma.