Death of ‘gentleman’ Bill saddens Arundel

Town mayor Michael Tu said Bill would be ‘very sadly missed by all’ and Angela Standing, the current town crier, said: “You will never get a truer gentleman.”

Bill, who died on Friday (October 3) following a spell in hospital, was a genuine ‘Mullet’, born in the town above his mother’s sweet shop in High Street.

He was educated at a series of boarding schools away from Arundel during and after the Second World War. He joined the army in 1951 and, within three months, moved to Sandhurst for officer training. Commissioned in 1953, he joined the Royal Artillery and went on to serve in Malaya, Cyprus and Hong Kong, having spent three years studying Chinese.

Back in Britain, Bill was transferred to GCHQ in Cheltenham before leaving the army, studying management at a polytechnic and getting a job with an American company involved in travelling to universities across Africa. Following a short stint with Marconi Space and Defence, starting up a branch in China, he returned to Arundel in 1981.

His first involvement in the community was as a Scoutmaster, from 1981-93. In 1984 he was appointed town crier by then mayor Peggy Henry, who revived the role. He won the competition ‘as I had developed quite a loud voice while in the army’.

He joined the town council in 1987 and was still a member at the time of his death. He remained town crier until 2002 when he became mayor.

Bill, of Jarvis Road, joined the Chamber of Commerce in 1986 and was chairman for ten years and, subsequently, life president.

He was also passionate about his service with the Royal British Legion Arundel branch and had been chairman for almost 15 years, was a keen supporter of the Arundel Museum and served on the Arundel Festival committee from 1985.

Mr Tu said he and fellow councillors knew they could rely Bill’s ‘amazing knowledge’, particularly when it came to the history and traditions of the town. “When discussing planning applications Bill seemed to know the history of every building and even who used to live there.”

A book of condolences has been set up at the King’s Arms pub, in Tarrant Street, where Bill loved the regular quizzes and was question master for many years.

Bryan McDonald, manager of the castle, said: “We will all miss Bill terribly. He was part of the warp and weft of Arundel and the castle, where he served for 24 years as a very popular castle guide.

“Bill was thoroughly decent and very constant; a highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic historian with an encyclopaedic recall of the history of the castle and Arundel and district.

“He was one of nature’s gentleman, a ready wit and raconteur who entertained and enthused and will be long and warmly remembered by all who live and work at the castle and a great many of our visitors, young and not so young.”

Mrs Standing, town crier since 2004, recalled Bill’s rich voice. “When he used to deliver his cries, he used to use old speak, which was wonderful to listen to. His dulcet tone is really going to be missed.”

n Thanks to Mark Phillips for his contribution to this article.