Desmond Hampton, Smith Gore’s rural practice chartered surveyor, has died at the age of 74.
Educated at Winchester College, he graduated from Trinity Hall, Cambridge, with a degree in land economy.
Desmond joined Cluttons in London in 1962 before qualifying as a chartered surveyor and became an equity partner of the firm in 1968. He was managing partner of Cluttons from 1987 to 1990 and retired as a partner in 2001. He continued as a consultant to the firm. In 2007, the rural department of Cluttons merged with Smiths Gore and he spent the last seven years based in Smiths Gore’s London office in Old Bond Street.
Desmond was highly respected for his advisory work, which included acting for institutional and charity landowners such as the Church Commissioners for England, the Crown Estate Commissioners, the King’s Fund and Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital and also the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster, where he provided the independent valuations of their estates for a number of years.
His most exciting work was with the new financial City-based institutional landowners in the 1970s and 1980s. In later years he became a doyen for expert witness work on rural property valuation and gave evidence before tribunals, arbitrators and courts.
Desmond was an accomplished member of the London Rowing Club, an enthusiastic and competitive ocean sailor and was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron. In later years he became an enthusiastic member of the Serpentine Running Club.
He is survived by his widow Sue, three daughters and three grandchildren.
