Cama’s benefactions

Two cricket clubs in Britain were bowled over when 92-year-old Spenta Cama left them a multi million-pound bequest. Cama, who made his money in residential property also left £ 50 to each of his many tenants, notes the Evening Standard (June 21, 2002). The clipping was forwarded to Parsiana by Jal Bharucha of Surrey.

Briefly married, with no children, Cama had helped found the Preston Nomads in 1927 when he was 18 years old. The Club received £ 2.9 million as per his will. The son of an Indian father and a Welsh mother, Cama had practised briefly as a barrister, notes the Standard.

Cama with the Preston Nomads

According to David Bowden, chairman of the Nomads, Cama was a "very charming man and a very modest man. His passion was cricket.” The only other thing he loved as much, was snuff. "He used to go to cricket dinners snuffing away,” added Bowden.

Cama is said to have played cricket for the Nomads well into his fifties and then attended every game until about 10 years ago when ill health prevented him from doing so. He spent the last years of his life in a nursing home.

The Sussex County Cricket Club received four million pounds of Cama’s bounty. Its chairman David Green planned to use part of the "magnificent” donation — several times larger than any received before — to refurbish the Club’s aging grounds. The rest will be put in a trust to secure the Club well into the future.

Apart from these two, Cama left smaller donations to a variety of cricket clubs and associations — some even in Australia. £ 1.5 million have been earmarked by him for cancer research and hunger and poverty relief.