Rarely was the property developer Harry Hyams seen in public – at least if there was any chance the press might be present. But while the epithet “recluse” was frequently attached to his name, it was not strictly accurate. Hyams, who has died aged 87, valued his privacy and would go to almost any lengths to preserve it, yet he was not too shy to enjoy the fruits of his fabulous wealth. Exotic travel, the opera, powerboat racing, vintage cars and horseracing would have been among the hobbies he listed in Who’s Who – had he consented to an entry.
To the fourth estate he had nothing to say but “no comment”, and even that was usually through a lawyer or other spokesperson. The sight of a camera was enough to cause him to take elaborate evasive action. His voice was never caught on tape, at least not by the BBC. As chairman of a publicly listed company, Oldham Estates, Hyams was compelled by law to hold an annual meeting for the company’s shareholders. For many years he chose the most awkward time he could imagine, 4.15pm on New Year’s Eve. Naturally the press was excluded from the meeting, and Hyams would go to extraordinary lengths to avoid being photographed. On one famous occasion he donned a Mickey Mouse mask as he pushed his way through the gaggle of photographers outside the Institute of Directors.
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