| A SAD LOSS FOR CHIRTON |
HUGH TILLEY OF CHIRTON — A TRIBUTE
Hugh Tilley, who died so unexpectedly in August at the age of 72, was a stalwart of our village who will be missed greatly. He was a man of the soil who understood both agriculture and engineering. Stories abound of his helping hand.
Terry Kemp, former British Waterways manager of the Kennet and Avon canal, recalls: "His gentle quietness was his strength. You always thought you could ask for his help and get it. I can remember one very wet Boto-X event when I was pulling a car trapped in the mud with a tractor and I found myself also unable to move. Hugh arrived shortly after — like the cavalry — driving an enormous tractor. He connected it to us and then with total ease — just dragged us both out."
Hugh was a man of hidden talents. As well as an intensely practical person he was also a writer and for many years he was Editor of The Butty, the magazine of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust. He masterminded editions celebrating Prince Charles's visit to the canal, announcements of a massive Lottery Grant, and more technical items such as the restoration of Crofton's chimney. Fleur de Rhé Phillipe, who was the Trust Administrator and Company Secretary during Hugh's time as Editor said, "he was a lovely man. I never knew him to complain or come into the office without a smile on his face".
For many years Hugh was also the "typesetter" for the adverts in the Redhorn Team Magazine. This involved meticulous work, laying out the advertising pages and redesigning adverts often several times. Often this had to be done in a hurry and sometimes copy had to be altered to make it readable. Hugh never complained but worked late into the night to meet the monthly deadlines.
We do miss Hugh in the village. He contributed so much in so many different ways. We will remember him being the first to arrive to put up tables for the village fete; the man with the bunting who appeared with yards and yards of the stuff; the last to leave, making sure that all the chairs and debris had been cleared away; for wonderful vegetables at Harvest time; for clearing prodigious areas of the churchyard with an array of fearsome implements; or perilously balanced on immensely long ladders cleaning parts of the Church rafters that others could not reach.
Hugh could always be relied on for practical suggestions when everyone else was stumped for ideas. We will remember his cheery "I don't think that will be a problem", meaning Hugh will fix it. We would like to record our thanks to Hugh for so much. He will be long remembered by those who knew him.
Page last updated : 18 October 2009