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(15 January 1943 – 13 January 2021)
If there was one person who would have objected to this obituary, it would have been Tony himself. He embodied the efficient backroom boy and hated public exposure. That may be so, but his death has removed another of those people who helped to found and consolidate the Ipswich Society. He deserves a tribute.
Tony was gratified to have come from humble stock and was proud and gleeful when he discovered he had been ‘born in workhouse’ in Somerset (albeit as a consequence of Hitler’s unwanted attentions on London, his mother having been evacuated for her confinement).
Educated at Northgate Grammar School and Ipswich Civic College, Tony joined the Jackson Group and eventually became a distinguished Chartered Engineer with Maddocks, Lusher and Matthews, where he was a partner and director retiring in 2004.
Although not there at its inception, as a young and vigorous person, he was entreated to join the Society committee in 1970 and immediately became a very successful Newsletter editor. In addition he helped facilitate a host of practical projects, social events and ambitious overseas city visits. Latterly, he was central to the digitisation of the Society collection for the Image Archive.
In 1982 he became a founding trustee and committee member of the Ipswich Archaeological Trust. Tony was appointed a magistrate in 1989 and served until 2009. He was a prodigious fundraising organiser with Rotary projects and for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Somehow he combined all these activities with a busy social life and memorable overseas holidays. He is survived by his second wife, two children and two step-children.
A thoroughly decent, self-effacing, reliable, much loved man. We were fortunate to have had him on board!
Chris Wiltshire