We are sad to announce the death of Tony Hawkins of Shaftesbury, on 24th February at Salisbury Hospital, very peacefully after a short illness; much loved father to Richard, Michael, Philip and our late brother Peter, husband to our late mother Mary and grandfather to Jack, Polly, Harry, Gabriel and Rayen.
Funeral at St Peter’s Church, Shaftesbury on Monday 18th March at 2pm.
Cremation service on Tuesday 19th March 2pm at Salisbury Crematorium.
Family flowers only, donations to St Peter’s Church, The Children’s Society and Salisbury Hospital League of Friends can be made online at www.mhfd.co.uk or cheques, made payable to the individual charity, can be sent c/o Merefield & Henstridge F/D, Ridgemount, Pitts Lane, West Melbury, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 0BU.
Tel: 01747 853532
I have fond memories of Tony. He employed me primarily to make him a custom made kitchen in Paultons Square, Chelsea.I have to admit I was just starting out and tried Tony’s patience to the limit with my endless mistakes and the fact it took me nine months to complete. His enthusiasm and inquisitive nature for life in general inspired me just like the few teachers from my school days. Although now approaching 70 years of age myself I like to think that like Tony, I’m still pretty young at heart.
I just missed out on ‘the swinging sixties but I’m sure Tony could have added more to his experiences and observations to enlighten me to the optimism and fun that life can bring to us all.
Tales of Princess Margaret with Roddy Llewlyn skipping down the stairwell from the flat above his and seeing a scruffy man pushing a pram full of paints and brushes in Cookham who turned out to be Stanley Spencer are just a couple of anecdotes I’ll always remember.
Although never a Cockney Tony really was ‘a diamond geezer.
If only he could have been cloned and gone into politics, teaching, industry, entertainment et al there would be very few problems for the rest of us to have to deal with.