Obituary – Tony Hill 1942-2022

Tony, born in Swindon 1942, was the third child of Harold and Ada Hill, and the younger brother to Victor and Blanche. He went to Bentham House Prep School near Purton and then on to Rendcomb College. It was at Rendcomb that he developed a lifelong passion for music, teaching himself the trombone, guitar and drums. He went on to play in a number of bands in the sixties and later in life could always be found at the local jazz festivals in Swindon or Marlborough.

Also while at school Tony became an avid collector, especially of stamps, coins, insects and fossils. The company-owned gravel pits were a great hunting ground for fossils and fostered his interest in geology and palaeontology.

After leaving Rendcomb, Tony joined the family business in 1960 and spent a couple of years at the Kingshill depot in the builders merchants business, before going to South Cerney to learn about aggregates and block making. He would often recall the harsh winter of 1962/3 and seeing cars using the lake as a skidpan!

Tony became a board director in 1968 and married Lyn in August 1969. Their daughter Julie arrived in 1972 whilst they were living in South Cerney, son Ian in 1976, after they had moved to their forever home in Broome Manor, Swindon.

In 1970, Hills bought one of Swindon’s first computers and Tony took the opportunity to join the team, training as a programmer and systems analyst. This department also supplied computer services to other companies.

Over the years Tony developed an interest in classic cars. In the late seventies and eighties he was also involved in several businesses restoring and selling these cars. To follow these other interests Tony resigned as a director in 1985, but later rejoined as a non-executive director in 1992.

Since then Tony continued his interests in collecting and music. He also became involved in Swindon Rotary and other cancer specific charities such as Breakthrough and Brighter Futures. Outdoor pastimes involved walking, swimming and gardening.

Following a touching ceremony at Kingsdown Crematorium, friends and family gathered at Blunsdon House Hotel to pay tribute to Tony and celebrate a life well-lived.