There follows the Eulogy that I gave at my father’s funeral in 1995. It summarises his life and those of his wife, my mother Phyllis.
My father also wrote an autobiography which I edited and that is attached as a pdf.
The Eulogy
My father was born in 1922 and he spent his early days in and around Brierley Hill and Dudley. His father died when he was young and he became the only man in a family, which then consisted of his mother and two sisters Joan and Peggy He was young determined, and always able to get his own way . The world offered a range of opportunities and he settled down working as a projectionist working for Gaumont British moving from town to town showing movies. He worked at this j job into the war when he joined up and travelled around showing movies to other troops. At the end of the war, he returned home and met my mother who was a midwife at that time.
My mother’s father had also died young and she had taken the huge step of leaving a well paid office job to train to become a nurse caring for patients and some injured troops. By the time they met she had progressed to be a midwife and had moved into the area to pursue her career. So the handsome ex-soldier married the pretty nurse.
They set up home together in Great Barr in Birmingham and together they were special. She adored the intelligent man who could make and repair anything and he adored his resourceful wife. They were the new generation they were carving out the future after the war. Together they gave each other stability and they had a love that would go on forever. I was born and shared in the warmth of this golden love. They were the people that everyone turned to if they had problems. The nurse would listen and the soldier would do. My father by this time was working as an electrician at Harris and Sheldon a company of shop fitters. He progressed into the office and was soon running contracts all around the country getting up early to be in Aberdeen or somewhere for 8.00am.
These were the golden days all was in front of us. They could now afford to move and bought a house in Skip Lane in Walsall. My father became increasingly unhappy with the company he was working for and with my mother’s total support he pledged everything he had and set up Hills Electrical working from home.
This was 1967 and he was 45. lt was now or never. My father got the contracts and made sure they were carried out, my mother did the books. The company very soon moved into a shop with offices and a yard in Harden Road in Walsall. My mother gave up nursing to concentrate on the business. Hard work, long hours and a commitment to the customer made the company a success and it continued to expand.
My father did more than found a company he founded a dream. lt prospered and succeeded and he continued to pour all his heart and soul into the company. He bought land, designed new premises, and damn near built them himself. By shear force of personality he was making it happen. He forced himself and everyone else with him to deliver. My mother was with him all the way backing up and helping in any way possible. He basked in the spotlight of her adoration and unequivocal acceptance of whatever he wanted. He adored her.
The company continued to succeed and in 1976 fired by the dream, and the thought of continuity after University l joined the company. The hard work and sleepless nights continued to make the Company grow and the dream carried on.
Time was moving on. My parents bought the house in Tixall and their love continued. The Company was succeeding in ever greater ways and continued to dominate my fathers thoughts. My mother flung herself into new activities and making friends.
They had created together a world of stability and love that was never ending. Yet in 1992 it ended. My mother suddenly died. My father was a strong man but nobody could withstand the bitter bone shaking loneliness that gnawed at him. He continued to ask himself to do things that a body 30 years younger could only deliver and all the time there was the lonely longing. There were people around, a lot of people, and I thank them all for the support and help they tried to give but they could not replace the pretty nurse.
My father was an honest, hardworking man who lived a love for 40 years and delivered a dream. He was blunt and said what he thought. He was intelligent and decisive. He was proud and did things his way. Last Friday morning continuity with the past died with him. He is at peace with the Lord at last.
Ben Hill’s Autobiography
