The Late James Akers MBE

We were saddened to learn of the death of one of our Vice Presidents, James Akers MBE on 1 November 2023.
James, with his late wife Wendy, was a great support to the Daffodil Society despite his first love being tulips. He served on both the Daffodil Society committee and the DS Northern Group committee for many years and on the RHS Daffodil and Tulip Committee.
James was an original thinker, fired by an enthusiasm for technology long before it became in daily use and he never stopped questioning and putting forward ideas for change and improvement..
He and Wendy enjoyed many trips to Iberia where his passion for species really took hold and these adventures were documented and beautifully photographed for all to share in our publications.
He started breeding miniature daffodils with great success and wished that he had started earlier. Flowering early in the season showing them required a long journey in March to Rosemoor Gardens Devon for the first major show of the season. Here he was in the esteemed company of other major UK miniature breeders such as Anne Wright, Brian Duncan and John Gibson. He was always pleased with his modest success and generous in his acclaim for the work of others. Success was also achieved local to Yorkshire with winning entries in the DS Northern group area and as the Spring progressed and the daffodils faded his beloved “superior” English Florist tulips came into bloom. Continuing the tradition of his late father Jim Akers, James grew as many as he could trace and exhibited them with pride at the Wakefield and North England Tulip Society Show. He is also the author of Flames and Feathers: English florist tulips published by the W&NE Tulip Society in 2012. ISBN 978 0 95 323922 1.
He was a great raconteur and will be much missed.
He leaves a loving family and many friends worldwide to whom we send our sincere condolences.