Nigel Brown Death, Obituary – The members of the Real Tennis community are in mourning over the passing of Dr. Nigel Brown, OBE, who passed away peacefully on January 19th, 2023. Together with his wife, Fiona, who passed away in September of 2021, Brown was an important member of the Cambridge University Real Tennis Club for nearly half a century. Fiona died in September of 2021.
Shares Peter Raby, former CURTC President, “A Renaissance man of many talents and enthusiasms, Nigel discovered real tennis as a convert from squash, and became not only a very good player but also a passionate lover and advocate of the game in all of its aspects. He became known as a Renaissance man.” Nigel never stopped analyzing the game – and his own game – and seeking to improve his technique and tactical skills.
I was able to witness this first-hand as a regular opponent of Nigel’s, but I was also one of his doubles partners. Nigel was initially coached by Brian Church. Because of how contagious Nigel’s enthusiasm was, it was impossible to play a game with or against him without having a good time. Raby relates that Brown was a fervent supporter of real tennis and that Brown’s generous contributions helped to ensure the continued growth of the Cambridge University Real Tennis Club. [Cambridge University Real Tennis Club]
“It’s unlikely that the world champion Rob Fahey would have thrown his lot in with Cambridge without his advocacy and contribution, for example,” says Raby. “This would have been to the inestimable benefit of the club, as well as to the evident progress of many individual players, particularly the younger generation, whom Nigel consistently encouraged.”
Additionally, for a number of years, Brown’s company, NW Brown, was the title sponsor of the Inter Club tournament held at Moreton Morrell. John Miller, who was in charge of organizing the tournament on a regular basis, says that “he helped make it a real event.” “He was a good man.”