A Sheffield businessman who built a family-run empire spanning contracting, recycling and hospitality has died.

Martin Hartley Hague, 68, of Bradfield, Sheffield, died suddenly in Annecy, France on September 12.

The founder and MD of MHH Contracting Ltd and former MD of Hague Plant Ltd was known as Marty to his wife, Jean Angela, and ‘Haguey’ to many residents in Sheffield.

Born on October 1 1957 at Prospect Farm, he lived there for the majority of his life, and this is where he built his family home known as Parkside.

To this day, Martin’s 97-year-old mother, Jean Senior, still lives at Prospect Farm, which continues to be the headquarters of the family’s businesses.

Never fond of being a student, he left Bradfield School at 14 with no qualifications and started out driving a tractor carting pulp from the paper mill at Oughtibridge to spread onto farmland to improve the land in Bradfield.

In 1979, he met his wife Jean Angela in Bradfield pub The Haychatters, and in the same year he took over the day-to-day running of Hague Plant, the business his father and mother had founded a few years earlier.

He worked long hours ducking and diving across Sheffield, where he was known for saying “where there’s muck, there’s money.”

Jean worked alongside him throughout their whole career.

After Hague Plant came MHH Contracting, which has been operating for 40 years and is mainly recognised by its large silver tipper lorries seen around the city.

Martin and daughters Rachel, Charlotte and Katie worked together to run the firm of MHH Contracting up until his death.

In 1986 he launched a waste recycling facility on Carlisle Street and built it into a leading recycling centre for household, commercial and industrial waste. 

Alongside the families’ portfolio of companies, they also own and operate notable Bradfield hospitality venues such as The Schoolrooms Café, Assembly Bar & Bistro, The Bradfield Plough Pub and Scoop Gelato, alongside a number of Airbnb lodgings.

Many of these sites were acquired in Martin’s younger years, and he was keen to see his grandchildren in the businesses.

The family rule is that when each child turns 13, they start work in the hospitality arm of the business on a part-time basis, ensuring the hard work ethic continues through the generations.

Those closest to Martin remember him as a savvy, quick-witted and successful entrepreneur, with his family describing him as “a legend”.

His wife, children and grandchildren will continue to run the family businesses, carrying on the work he spent much of his life building.

Interests and hobbies included work, work and more work! He did love a classic car though, and amassed an extensive collection of vehicles including a Harley Davidson which he enjoyed polishing with his grandchildren in his spare time.

A long-standing member of RREC, Bentley Drivers Club, Goodwood Road Racing Club and the HOG fraternity, he enjoyed trips with them all, most notably visiting Jordan where he even met the King and Queen!

Friends, family, colleagues, employees present and past, and associates are welcome to the funeral to be held in a marquee at Prospect Farm, Kirk Edge Road, High Bradfield, Sheffield, S6 6LJ at 2pm on Thursday October 1. A private family burial will be held thereafter.

Catering and refreshments will be provided. Parking will be limited, please lift share or Uber where possible.

No flowers please. Donations if wished, made payable to Leukemia UK may be sent to Adam Heath, John Heath & Sons, 4-16 Earsham Street, Sheffield, S4 7LS, or online at www.johnheath.co.uk