Albert Martin Clifton, 80, a well known Appledore arable farmer, has died recently following his return from a holiday abroad. He and his wife Judith had been on holiday when Martin (as he was better known) fell ill and sadly passed away suddenly on his journey to hospital.
Mr Clifton was a director of Martin Clifton Ltd of Priory Lands Farm, Appledore, Kent with his wife Judith, who looks after the administrative side and his son Adrian, who is managing director of the family business.
Priory Lands Farm is the headquarters of the business covering seven or eight farms with 3,000 acres, roughly half tenanted, the rest owned by the business. They farm wheat, oilseed rape, spring beans and grain maize for combining.
Martin was five at the time his grandfather, Dennis, moved from Lincolnshire to farm Court Lodge, Appledore in 1945 and over the years, Martin and his son Adrian have grown an impressive holding together.
