W.H. Sheppard (Bill) (1933-1936)
Died on 1st October 2022, aged 101
Extract of Eulogy by Bill’s son, Robert, at the Memorial service for Bill on 4th November 2022
How wonderful to see so many of you here today to celebrate the remarkable and long life of Bill Sheppard. He would have been 102 this week.
He was born on the 2nd of November 1920. in, Bolton, where he lived with his parents and younger brother Bob. The family soon moved to Wembley Park in London where both boys attended Merchant Taylors’ School, doing well academically, enjoyed playing rugby, cricket, and tennis. Their family holidays were mainly spent on a farm in Sussex, which gave them an appreciation of country life. Dad loved his time there, mainly helping the farmer shoot the rabbits!
On leaving school Dad followed in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather and joined the Tillotson Newspaper group, the then owners and publishers of the Bolton Evening News, He began with a career in the advertising department …but then World War II broke out and he joined the RAF, enthusiastically hoping to become a pilot. Alas, his medical showed him to be colour blind so he could not fly. Instead, he spent much of the war on Malta, repairing and servicing Hurricanes, Bombers, and Spitfires, constantly under the onslaught of the bombing raids by enemy aircraft.
He Survived unscathed!
During his initial RAF training in Gloucester, he met Sylvia, our mother, and they married in 1944. They had the four of us, myself ,Bryan, Timothy , and his much loved daughter , our sister Penny, all in a space of just 6 years, so they were certainly kept very busy! Dad re-joined the newspaper in Bolton and became advertisement manager. For Most of our childhood our home was the Old Vicarage, in the west of the town, and there Dad had facilitated a perfect family home and we all have many fond memories of family activities there. Each of us could provide fun tales of that time. But not all his ideas were welcomed by us.
He once bought some hairdresser’s scissors and clippers to cut all our hair. “Shearing time”, shouted Dad, and three little Sheppard boys were herded into the scullery…like lambs to the slaughter. A nip here and a tug there! Not a great success. We needed to keep our school caps on for the rest of that week! Fortunately for all of us he stuck to his day job and did not become a barber!
During those years he played a very active part in various organisations. He was a founder member and later chairman of the Bolton Round Table, then Rotary and Probus clubs; He was President of the Young Newspapermen’s Association, which led to him being invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
He helped with our Scout troop; He took us to county cricket, and football, and motor racing, and on many exciting family holidays.
At home, gardening, reading, and watching county cricket were his choice of relaxation. After we all left home, and mother’s suffering with rheumatoid arthritis intensified, Dad became her full-time carer for several years, showing much understanding and patience.
After 56 years of marriage, mother died in 2000.
To fill the huge gap, Dad decided to do some travelling, visiting family and friends…and overseas to follow England cricket tours to Australia and South Africa. For his 80th birthday he was given a flight in a Tiger Moth biplane. Having worked on such aircraft he knew the controls and therefore how to fly them…. so, he persuaded the pilot to let him fly the plane, … then:- joystick back, increasing the throttle, and up and up and over it went ..’looping the loop’ was his joyful result … and we were pleased to see him back on the ground!
He became involved in many charities. He enjoyed reading for the blind at “Bolton News Talk”; and working cleaning tools for “Tools for Africa”; and “Urban Outreach”, a local Foodbank in Bolton. Most importantly he became a guide at Smithills Hall, a great move on his part, because here, he met Joan (Brabin), the then guide co-ordinator. They had many shared interests, enjoyed each other’s company, and had a joyful wedding in August 2007, when he was 86 years old!
What a blessing, as they have been happily married for the last 15 years being involved in all sorts of interesting things together, including, by courtesy of the Malta G.C. Island Association, a trip to Malta; and a visit to Buckingham Palace for another Garden Party; and being Guest of Honour for his 100th birthday at the Old Merchant Taylor’s reunion dinner.
He liked to be smartly dressed, punctual, a follower of etiquette, sociable and well mannered; well respected by his work colleagues and friends; but could occasionally be a little stubborn, and certainly was strict with us as children. At times he could be impatient - but then aren’t we all? Especially with traffic!
To his last days he remained active, walking daily around the lake near his home and remained involved in those charities. As his granddaughter Caroline reminded me, he lived by the saying: “You don’t stop doing things because you get old. You get old because you stop doing things!”.
He thought that, to him, people were the most important thing in life, and he greatly valued the fellowship of this church.
However, what he was most proud of, was Joan and his ever-increasing family.
Remembrance Day is next week, such an important day for him. Last year he was again asked to read the ‘exhortation and epitaph’ and lay the wreath at the service held here. He was so pleased and proud to do so, particularly as he was accompanied by his grandson, Chris, on a surprise visit!
I think this is a most appropriate memory on which I should close by saying: “Dad, Bill, Grandpa, Mr Sheppard, we will remember you; we will all remember you”.
