Want to know more about our MDs, Luke & Charles Adams?.....Read on
Luke Adams:
Pre Morley: I went to school in Hertford at Haileybury College and then gained a Maths degree at Loughborough University. I worked in the City for an Fund Management Company (ironically called Morley!) as a Investment Analyst, before giving up the Big Smoke for the Little Smoke of Morley Stove company, my family business, back in 2010.
Lived: Born in Harlow so officially an “Essex boy” but grew up just outside Hertford, before some younger fun years living in East and West London, and now settled back in the middle of nowhere back in the Shire!
Hobbies: Coming from a family of sports lovers, I have grown up playing all sports with Rugby being my number one! My playing days from Hertford, Hertfordshire County, Loughborough Uni and Leicester are far behind me with shoulder injuries to prove, but still enjoy a game of touch rugby up at the rugby club (but very more the beers and watching rugby on TV in the pub these days!) I enjoy my swimming too, where in my younger years I used to swim at nationals, to later years doing a team cross-channel charity swim. I love to travel and cant wait to get back to Asia with the kids and Nicola in tow!
Loves: Beers, Rugby, Travelling and my wife and kids, not necessarily in that order but not far off 😉
Mood: Busy! With the business progressing well within current climate and the expansion of Morley’s Home and Garden products, linked with my father Charles taking a serious step back in the business, it’s just work, work, work currently!
Fav Morley Product: Tough one, I spend most weekend free time on my Big Green Egg BBQ and the Everhot Cooker; I still love the Contura 690AG (beautiful concrete finish) from seeing it on a work trip to Sweden as my stove choice; and then a new product for us in the Kalfire E-One electric fire being up right up there….I’m allowed 4 right?!
Plans for the next Month:
An overdue week off holiday to Croatia, and looking forward to getting the boys back into Sunday morning mini’s rugby up at Hertford!
Charles Adams:
Pre Stove/Kitchen/Design World :
I was born brought up and went to school in North London. My foray into work included a period in a sales office environment with International Paints and Sunspel in London, with a short spell assisting the establishing of a sales facility in Long Eaton Nottigham for Sunspel (a clothing manufacturer). My first front line sales role was as a self employed sales agent visiting retail outlets trying to sell leather products – success lasted just a few weeks having recognised that I probably needed some proper sales training.
My father encouraged me to join a large organisation that had a reputation for training. I had a successful interview with Gillette, however at the interview I was advised that all their sales team were required to wear bowler hats, this was the 1950’s, and their sales presentations were to be verbatum, requiring no individuality or personality. I declined their offer. I was also offered a post with Dexion as a trainee salesman which I accepted and stayed with that organisation for over 16 years, moving through sales management and training roles and finally on to the development of overseas markets, culminating with a period living and working in Dubai and Saudi Arabia in the early/mid 1970’s.
On returning to the UK in 1980 I left Dexion and invested in a small distribution business which developed on to investing with colleagues into various small seedbed businesses – not all successful. A business development consultancy opportunity arose requiring a period based back in the Middle East.
My introduction into the woodburning stove business began almost by accident. In 1997 I had a consultancy management project running locally to home and at a social event with one of the project investors I assisted our host in getting her wood stove working. This led to my introduction to Morley Marketing Ltd an organisation that were early pioneers in the introduction of woodburning stoves in the UK, the owner of which was retiring. I was offered an initial project management role to develop the retail and wholesale sides of the business under new ownership – thus Morley Stove Company Ltd was born.
My wife and I took the opportunity to purchase the business after just a few years together with the freehold premises. Strangely, I shouldn’t have been too surprised at my interest in this industry as my Scottish Grandfather and Uncle had established a small chimney sweeping business in Dumfries, in the 1930’s – it must have been in the blood.
I had expected that I would sell the business before retiring – but was delighted when our youngest son Luke showed serious interest in joining the ‘family’ business from his city role in 2010. My brother-in-law and daughter-in-law are also currently working in the business.
Lived :
Born in North London, brought up in Winchmore Hill then Newgate Street and have lived just outside Hertford for the past 37 years. Married to Loo for approaching 50 years.
Hobbies :
Sport has played a major part of my life, more currently walking, golf and tennis – in earlier days I was a keen sprinter and achieved success at a senior level at school and nationally with Southgate Harriers. Rugby has probably been the most active of my sports having played at school and for Saracens at the age of 14 in their schoolboys side. I continued my allegiance to Saracens after school and played at all levels in the club until hanging my boots up in 1986 at the age of 40. Whilst in Dubai I played with the Dubai Exiles RFC playing home and away visits to other Gulf countries that had expatriate teams, with the occasional game against visiting naval vessels that could muster a team. Every season culminated in the Gulf Dubai Sevens tournament which included guest teams from the British Army and Navy from local bases. This developed into the current Dubai Sevens included in the International Sevens circuit.
Loves :
Family – we have loads of grandsons – 7 in total – the only girls in the family are our lovely daughters-in-law to our three sons – I will also add travel ,wine, beer and growing vegetables.
Mood:
Enjoying being almost retired although still keeping vaguely in touch with the family business.
Favourite product :
We are spoilt for choice as at home as we have stoves, as you would expect, together with the terrific Green Egg and Corten steel patio heater
Plans for the next month :
Gardening, when the weather is ok, a little golf, watching some rugby – oh and the odd day in the Marsh Lane showroom.
In one sentence sum up your relationship with Morleys :
Whilst my day to day involvement with the business has reduced, I am happy to see it being steered successfully by my son Luke and Nicola, his wife, with the loyal support of other members of the Morley team. A true family business.