Charles Frederick Otis Ferry (born 1 November 1982) is a British model and pro-fox hunting enthusiast. He has served as joint master of the South Shropshire hunt.[1]
Otis Ferry | |
|---|---|
 Ferry in with the crowd at a Roxy Music show at the Manchester Arena in 2022 | |
| Born | Charles Frederick Otis Ferry 1 November 1982 |
| Occupations |
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| Known for | Prominent pro-fox hunting enthusiast |
He has been arrested and charged several times for activities relating to hunting, only one of which led to a conviction.[2]
Early life
editThe son of Bryan Ferry and Lucy Ferry, Ferry was educated at Marlborough College.[3]
Ferry was introduced to fox-hunting at the age of fifteen by Rory Knight Bruce, a field sports journalist, and soon developed a passion for it.[4]
Career
editIn 2004, Tatler magazine put Ferry at number 2 in its list of the 200 "most desirable" men.[5] In 2007, he was modelling for Burberry.[6]
On 15 September 2004, Ferry and seven other pro-hunting protesters entered chamber of the House of Commons in protest at anti-hunting legislation.[7] After a short adjournment, the House then went on to approve the Hunting Bill by a majority of 356 to 166.[8] All eight men were charged with offences under the Public Order Act 1986 and denied the charges,[9] but they were later convicted, and each was fined £350 and given an 18-month conditional discharge.[10][11]
In accepting a lifetime achievement award at the Q Awards of 2004, Bryan Ferry said he was dedicating it to his brave son.[12]
On 20 June 2005, Ferry appeared as a member of the BBC Television Question Time panel, together with Tony Benn, Justine Greening, Lembit Opik, and June Sarpong.[13] By then he was widely seen as the public face of the pro-hunting campaign.[14]
In 2007, Ferry became huntsman and joint master of the South Shropshire Hunt. At the age of 25, he was believed to be the youngest master of foxhounds in three hundred years.[15]
On 21 November 2007, after an incident with hunt protestors during a meet of the Heythrop Hunt at Lower Swell, Ferry was arrested on suspicion of common assault and robbery. It was alleged that he had taken a video camera from two hunt saboteurs who said they were investigating possible breaches of the Hunting Act 2004.[16][17] He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in connection with the common assault charge. Although he was initially granted bail, he was subsequently remanded in custody[18][19] until shortly before the trial in 2009 when he was released on bail.[20] At that point he had spent four months in prison.[21] The Crown Prosecution Service subsequently decided not to proceed with the charges of perverting the course of justice,[22] and Ferry was formally acquitted of them in April 2009.[23] In May 2009 he was convicted on a lesser charge of "causing fear and stress".[21]
Speaking about his time in prison, Ferry claimed he had been imprisoned for his beliefs.[24] He later added "It was a doddle compared to public school".[25]
In the run-up to the British general election of 2015, Ferry headed Vote-OK, a campaign group which offered to supply canvassers for Conservative candidates who would support a repeal of the Hunting Act 2004.[26]
Personal life
editIn 2020, Ferry was reported to be the long-term partner of Lady Alice Manners, the second daughter of David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, and to be living with her at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire.[27]
References
edit- ^ "Foxhound packs (P-S) in England and Wales". Horse & Hound Magazine. 1 November 2006. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- ^ "Rock Star's son convicted over Commons protest". The Daily Telegraph. London. 26 May 2005. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
- ^ McSmith, A. (19 September 2008). "Otis Ferry accused of trying to nobble witness in assault trial". London: The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- ^ Allyson N. May, The Fox-Hunting Controversy, 1781-2004: Class and Cruelty (2016), p. 182
- ^ Alexa Baracia, "Ferry Eligible", Evening Standard
- ^ "Kate's on the Beaton track", thisislondon.co.uk
- ^ Jones, G. (16 September 2004). "Hunt brawl in Commons". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- ^ Fox Protest, CNN, 2004
- ^ "Commons Hunt Protestors Deny Charges". Sky News. 21 December 2004. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- ^ "Rock Star's son convicted over Commons protest". London: The Telegraph. 26 May 2005. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
- ^ "Eight charged over Commons hunt protest". The Daily Telegraph. London. 14 December 2004. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- ^ Zoë Howe, How's Your Dad?: Living in the Shadow of a Rock Star Parent (Omnibus Press, 2010), p. 86
- ^ "BBC NEWS - Programmes - Question Time - Classic Question Times". bbc.co.uk. 20 February 2008.
- ^ Sarah Neal, Julian Agyeman, The New Countryside? Ethnicity, Nation and Exclusion in Contemporary Rural Britain (2006, ISBN 978-1861347954), p. 106
- ^ Tim Walker, Robin Muir, Pictures (Teneues, 2008, ISBN 978-3-8327-9245-9), p. 140
- ^ Siddique, H. (15 April 2008). "Otis Ferry charged with attacking hunt saboteurs". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- ^ Gray, S. (27 November 2007). "Otis Ferry arrested after hunt". London: Independent. Archived from the original on 29 November 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- ^ Salter, J. (19 September 2008). "Otis Ferry remanded in custody". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 27 December 2008.
- ^ Asthana, Anushka (18 September 2008). "Otis Ferry, rock star's son, charged with perverting the course of justice". The Times. London. Retrieved 27 December 2008.[dead link]
- ^ Savill, R. (15 January 2009). "Otis Ferry freed on bail". London: Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
- ^ a b Emma Tilley, "Otis Ferry walked free from court after he admitted causing fear to hunt monitor", Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard, 22 May 2007
- ^ Gibb, Frances (10 March 2009). "Judge furious as 'witness-nobbling' charges against Otis Ferry are dropped". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Otis Ferry cleared of witness intimidation charges". The Daily Telegraph. London. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
- ^ "Otis Ferry: 'They put me in jail for my beliefs'". www.telegraph.co.uk. 30 May 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ Clive Bloom, Riot City: Protest and Rebellion in the Capital (2012), p. 69
- ^ Tom Bawden, "Fox-hunting lobbyists fronted by Otis Ferry target backing of Tory candidates in stealth campaign", The Independent, 11 March 2015
- ^ Hilary Rose, "A 356-room castle, three socialites, no staff…", The Times, 14 May 2020, accessed 6 December 2021