Brailsford & District Ploughing & Hedgecutting Society have sadly lost a great friend and avid supporter of the society, a friend to many and known by all.
Andrew Parnham passed away peacefully with his family around him on the 14th November 2025, aged 86.
Andrew was involved with farm machinery from the day he left school until the day he died. After working for other people driving, repairing and selling tractors and machinery he set up on his own in the late 1960’s with Andrew Parnham Tractors. He never looked back and built up a good business relationship with many local farmers, many of who became good friends.
He loved his Zetor tractors and wherever you drove around Derbyshire and Staffordshire you would always see one. In 1961 Andrew married Elaine and in 1966 Mark was born, followed by Sara in 1968, just at the time Andrew decided to start his own business. Elaine stood by him and he always said he could not have done it without her. In the late 1980’s Andrew saw a market for smaller tractors and machinery and started the beginnings of what is now Kilworth machinery, which has become a very successful business too.
Andrew was a big family man and although he was very busy with his business he always made time for regular family holidays, both in the UK and abroad. He loved travelling and continued to drive to Europe and his favourite of all, Scotland, until very recently. Andrew loved his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and would always make time to do interesting activities with them.
When Elaine passed away in 2010 he was devastated but he kept himself busy and in the last 10 years enjoyed life together with Margaret. Andrew and Margaret enjoyed keeping in touch with people and visiting them whenever they could.
Andrew will be greatly missed by all his family and friends. A life well lived.
Funeral
Thursday December 4th at 12 o’clock, Bretby Crematorium. Afterward at Ashby Rugby Club, Nottingham Road, Ashby.