Obituary – Dennis Surgenor MBE

Dennis started his poultry career as poultry feed salesman for Silcox. Dennis progressed to be the poultry specialist with SAI (Scottish Agricultural Industry) at a time when it practically fed most of the laying birds in Scotland.

Along with colleagues, he also initiated many marketing schemes to promote the Scottish egg industry. In fact, he could be described as the very back-bone of a successful Scottish sector.

Dennis went on to set up a company, known as Dispak, which collectively purchased packaging and consumables for the egg industry. With this initiative, he was able to reduce many costs within the industry for producers. To highlight this, packaging costs are on par with wages within the UK egg industry, creating many savings for his members.

The producer organisation, SEPRA (Scottish Egg Producers, Retailers Association), was another baby of his. SEPRA produced a weekly report for members which was titled ‘Dennis’ sheet’. This newsletter became the ‘bible’ of the Scottish egg industry and was the highlight of the Saturday morning mail.

The Poultry Club dinner an annual highlight of our industry, where the Howie/Surgenor Trophy is one of its most sought after accolades, still continues to prosper and showcase the industry and 2018 saw a party of more than 300 attendees.

Dennis didn’t just stop working to benefit our egg industry, he also took part in a humanitarian mission to Bosnia at 70 years ‘young’, embarking on helping war torn Bosnia widows set up laying units and how to market their eggs.

He was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship and an MBE from the Queen in 1992 for his services to the Scottish and UK egg industry.

Well done to a good and faithful servant, and ‘thank you’ to his wife, Muriel, for sharing him with us. Dennis certainly enhanced each and everyone of us who came into contact with him.

Sir John Campbell