Brian Bissett Acworth

Brian Bissett Acworth passed away peacefully on January 8, 2026 at the age of 97 in Manhattan, New York. He was a sailor, entrepreneur, adventurer and benefactor. Brian Acworth was born in London on June 18, 1928 to Angus and Edna Acworth. He and his sister came to the US as children during World War II. They were among the thousands of children evacuated from England for their safety. While in the US, he attended The Choate School in Connecticut. He returned to England after the war and attended Merton College at Oxford University, graduating Class of 1951 with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics. As an undergraduate, he developed a love for theatre production that continued into his later years, as he invested in several plays and musicals in London’s West End. Later in life, when he maintained a home in the Murray Hill area of New York City, Brian could often be found enjoying plays, operas and all the other arts and culture that the city has to offer. Brian was an entrepreneur throughout his life. In the 1950s he founded Seafarer Yachts in Amsterdam, a boat building company that worked with some of the maritime world's best architects to build elegant yet affordable sailboats. In the early 1960s he chose the north shore of Long Island as the company’s headquarters because of its proximity to the waters of Long Island Sound, and he lived on Long Island for the next several decades. Faced with the economic challenges of the 1970’s, Brian wound down the Seafarer operation and developed a vision for the conversion of the Seafarer factory into a unique condominium-based office building known as The Huntington Atrium. Brian continued to develop and manage the property until his death. Ever the entrepreneur, in his 80s Brian started another company, the MuseumLight Company, which combined his passion for art and his keen eye for a business opportunity. Based on his own experience of having been supported in secondary school by an anonymous benefactor, Brian passionately believed in the importance of education and lived a desire to pay it forward. He formed The Acworth Foundation to support scholarships at a network of private primary schools in the US and the UK. Brian is survived by his children William (Suzanne) Acworth of Silver Spring, MD, Eleanor Acworth of Millbrook, NY, Persis Acworth of Seattle, WA and Edward (Martha) Acworth of Hamilton, MA. Brian treasured his time with his nine grandchildren Emery Bauer, Evan Acworth, Peter and Ilse Kollmar, Ryan and Nicholas Acworth, and Edward, Emmett, and Georgeanne Acworth. He welcomed his first great-grandchild Adelaide Bauer in 2025. Brian is also survived by his nephew Nicholas Rickett of Peterborough, England and he was predeceased by his sister, Alys Rickett of London, England. Brian loved to sail the oceans, fly the skies as a private pilot, ski the mountains of Vermont, travel through foreign lands, and experience world cultures. He was an adventurer to the end. A Memorial Service is planned for Thursday, January 22 at 11:00 AM at AL Jacobsen Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to The Parkinson’s Foundation 1350 Broadway, Ste 1530, New York, NY 10018, USA https://www.parkinson.org/ or The Acworth Foundation https://www.acworthfoundation.org/

Brian Bissett Acworth

June 18, 1928 - January 8, 2026