BORN: January 26, 1912

DIED: February 15

OCCUPATION: Salesman

ONE of the great characters of the village of Farmborough has died, aged 98.

After attending Farmborough School, Hedley Willcox worked initially as a builder before delivering fruit and vegetables on a horse and cart.

His main job was as a salesman for R Ricketts and Sons in the village and he was with them for 31 years before his retirement in 1971.

Mr Willcox was famous for his encyclopaedic memory and was very useful as a source of local history.

A lifelong Methodist, he was a faithful worshipper at Farmborough Methodist Church before it closed in 1987 and ran the choir there. He then joined Marksbury Methodist Church and attended regularly until that also closed in 2008.

Having been taught to play the piano at school, he retained a love of music and, with a true tenor voice, sang in Timsbury Male Voice Choir.

Mr Willcox was also a committee member of the Farmborough Darts League for many years and ran his own skittles team for 50 years, initially in his own village and then at the Royal British Legion Club in Timsbury.

He was very proud of his garden.

After spells at the Royal United Hospital in Bath and St Martin's Hospital he went to Rosewell Country Home in High Littleton but was only there a matter of weeks before his death.

Tributes at his funeral at All Saints Church in Farmborough were led by Methodist minister, the Rev Michelle Ireland and the rector of All Saint's, the Rev Jan Knott.

Mr Willcox, a bachelor, is survived by six nephews and nieces.

John Haywood, a close friend, said: "Hedley was a true Christian gentleman and never said anything derogatory about anyone."