Morland lost a man who had been a well known and influential part of the community for 40 years with the death at his home in the village of Frederick Charles Theodore Markham, aged 72.3
He was known for the inexhaustible energy he applied to new projects and his deep love of the Eden Valley.
Freddy, as he was invariably known, was born in Burnley, the first child of a clergyman, the Rev — later Canon —Gervase Markham and his wife Barbara. The family moved to Grimsby in 1952, and Freddy’s two sisters, Victoria and Frances, were born shortly after.
Gervase inherited Morland House, Morland, and the family moved there in 1965 when Freddy’s father became the vicar.
When Freddy was seven he was sent to Bramcote School, Scarborough, where he developed a strong memory for dates and facts.
He went to Winchester College at the age of 13, followed by Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read archaeology, anthropology and history of art.
Freddy flourished there, becoming involved in acting — he was in a play with Prince Charles — and beagling. He was secretary of the May Ball in 1971.
Freddy thought America would appreciate his organisational skills and “emigrated” after graduation, having been offered a job in advertising in New York.
However, he had no visa and returned five months later.
He joined the Greater London Council, but bureaucracy was not for him and he took a post as executive trainee at stockbroker Hoare Govett in 1973.
Freddy stood as a Liberal candidate in local elections and took up competitive ballroom dancing.
He knew he would inherit the Morland estate and decided to leave London and build a future in the village. It was in 1976 that he married Suzie Steel, an accomplished equestrian from Dumfriesshire, and took a degree in marketing and management at Lancaster University.
Freddy and Suzie had five children, Gervase, Arthur, Diana, Joseph and Francis, although Joseph was born prematurely and died on the same day.
Freddy’s entrepreneurial career began at Survival Aids, a survival clothing company. He left this business in 1986 to found Travelling Light with Suzie, and saw this as the main achievement of his career.
He recognised a need for a range of hot weather clothing for the growing market of wealthier, more mature travellers, and Travelling Light was the answer. The office was in Morland and the clothes were made in Workington.
At its height, Travelling Light employed more than 100 people in Cumbria and another 50 at the nine shops around Britain. Customers visiting the flagship shop in Dover Street, Piccadilly, could see an enormous stuffed lion that guarded the premises.
The business gave Freddy the perfect excuse to indulge his love of travel and adventure through photoshoots in warm locations, such as South Africa, India and Kenya.
In 1997, Freddy, Suzie and their son Gervase went on a long trek in the Himalayas, following in the steps of one of Freddy’s heroes, General Fred Markham.
Freddy returned twice, once to the Everest region in 1999 with Suzie and their son Art, climbing the 6,476m Mera Peak, and again to Ladakh in 2005 with Art and his daughter Di.
Freddy was elected as councillor for Lowther ward to Eden District Council, where he served for many years.
He was chairman of the county committee for the Country Landowners’ Association; served on Morland Parochial Church Council; was secretary and co-founder of Morland Cricket Club; and helped found Morland Shoot, which is still running successfully.
He was the first chairman of the Trustees of Morland Choristers’ Camp, founded by his father.
Freddy also enjoyed playing croquet with his father, who founded the annual Morland Cup. This summer, he was able to watch the 50th competition from his wheelchair.
After the end of his first marriage, he moved to Lowther and became project manager for Rural Regeneration Cumbria, which was rebuilding the local economy after the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak.
Freddy believed that, as a property owner, it was his responsibility to facilitate local businesses and create rural livelihoods. He and his father won a national CLA award for rural regeneration.
In 2004 he became High Sheriff of Cumbria. He enjoyed meeting civic leaders and people running essential services and learning how the judiciary worked.
After his father’s death in 2007, Freddy relaunched Travelling Light as T2, with a focus on online shopping. He also converted estate buildings in the village into the Mill Yard Café, which remains successful under another proprietor.
He returned to Greengill House in Morland with Fay, later his second wife, and set up Greengill Holidays, operating holiday cottages, a bunk barn and a campsite.
Freddy’s grandest unfulfilled ambition was to climb Mount Markham, in Antarctica. To this end, he once attempted to learn to ski sail, going to Greenland to train by hauling tractor tyres across the ice.
However, the results were not promising and he settled instead for many happy years with Fay, touring Britain in a campervan and travelling to more hospitable destinations.
Soon after the death of his eldest son, Gervase, in 2018, Freddy was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare degenerative condition.
He progressively handed over his responsibilities to his family and took to his bed in Greengill House with a view of Cross Fell.
In the final months, Freddy took his greatest satisfaction in visits from his children and grandchildren, William, John, Ash, Samuel, Walter, Hazel and Hilla.
He is survived by Art, Di and Fra, seven grandchildren, sisters Vicky and Frances, and by Fay.
His burial was held in the cemetery at St Lawrence Church, Morland, yesterday, followed by a service of thanksgiving in the
church.
Walkers Funeral Directors, Penrith, have charge of the arrangements.
