Tributes and Memories

Morley Blamey CO56

1937 - 2023

Morley was born in Portloe, Cornwall, on 24 November 1937, to parents Albert and Mina Blamey. At the age of five, Morley went to school at Veryan which was 2.5 miles from Portloe, and he used to walk to school and back with his two older sisters, Joyce and Valerie. Quite a walk for a five-year-old! Morley did well at school, and at the age of 11 he graduated to Truro School, which he really liked and where he did well.

Morley left Truro School at the age of 16 and got an apprenticeship with an electronics company, named British Thompson Euston.

After completing his apprenticeship, Morley got a job with Mullards in Lincolnshire, where he met Freida and they got married. They lived there happily for a couple of years until Morley got a new job with Phillips down in Croydon, Surrey.

They moved to Croydon and Morley worked for Phillips until he secured a job at Epak Electronics. After some time, due to the untimely passing of two of the directors, the business was put up for sale. Morley managed to secure a loan and buy the business.

The company did very well under his leadership, primarily due to a lot of hard work by Morley, who was travelling all over the country and often abroad, especially America, where he made lots of good friends, some of whom he was still in contact with right up until he passed. The success of the business and the network of people he built around him was a reflection of the character of a great man who certainly left his mark.

With a view to semi-retire he bought a house, called the Barn House, in Puckington and moved down with Freida to enjoy the slower pace of life. This was not to last for too long, however, as the business ran into some challenges, and Morley decided to move the company down to Somerset, so he bought offices and a warehouse in Yeovil.

Morley and Freida lived there for many years. Morley ran the business successfully until his retirement, at which time he handed over the reins to his eldest son, Nicholas, who still runs it today.

After all the years at the Barn House, Freida became unwell and they decided to sell up and move to a bungalow in Horton. Unfortunately, Freida’s health deteriorated further, and after a short time there, Freida passed away and Morley was left alone. He had three children, Nicholas, Robert and Louise, who were all out of the house by that time.

Morley loved to play golf with friends and was a keen supporter of the Taunton Rugby Club. Many other charities and organisations were impacted by the generosity of this incredible man.

During lockdown, Morley became very lonely and decided to go onto an internet site to find a companion, someone he could talk with, and that is where he met June. They were both lonely and hurting after the recent losses of their respective spouses. So, after they met, it didn’t take them long to get married and start a new chapter. Morley and June lived in the Horton house and were both very happy and deeply in love.

Their intimate love for each other, as well as their love for Jesus, was obvious for all to see.

In the later months of his life, Morley’s health was poorly but he hung on like a trouper, defying the doctors’ predictions. On the 31 May 2023, Morley finally succumbed to his illness and went home to be with his precious saviour, ending this chapter of his life. His legacy, however, will live on for years to come.

Goodbye for now, Morley. You will be sorely missed.

Tribute from Morley’s family.

Dillon Hughes CO71

1953 - 2023

I ran into Toni Carver CO66, who was a couple of years ahead of me at TS. He told me that our mutual friend, Dillon Hughes, died in April 2023. Dillon was in the same year as me and we shared many adventures. He was a rock climber, and energetic Chairman of the Truro School Climbing Club. He liked nothing more than a weekend on Bodmin Moor or down at Bosigran, and he had a widely known reputation for both climbing to a high standard and of enjoying the social side of the sport. Toni recalls that, as Dillon and I and others often went to folk clubs at Mitchell and Botallack, he would invite singers to join the ‘party’ at Bosigran.

Dillon, Rich Michell CO72 and I produced a couple of anthologies of poems, with the great assistance of Miss James (sanctioned by Derek Burrell), who operated the Gestetner and did much of the typing. These we sold to bemused parents at Sports Day. We held readings in the Sockrooms at the Royal Hotel under the auspices of Truro Young Oxfam, and shared much earnest merriment together.

Dillon went on to a career in youth work, eventually rising to a senior regional role. I recall meeting the Cornwall Youth Service Director, the late John Walton, who introduced me to his companion. ‘This is my boss.’ ‘Hello, Dillon. How’s it going?’.

Dillon Hughes was an intrepid leader and achiever. He loved physical challenges and searched for the spiritual wisdom in the disciplines he practiced. He was unpredictable, impetuous, full of compassion and thoughtfulness, good fun and always at the heart of things.

One scrape which has stayed with me was going to Cligga Mine, near St Agnes, and Dillon disappearing into the ground, returning with the remains of a wheelbarrow which, riding pillion on his Honda 50, I carried on my back to the Royal Cornwall Museum. Mr Douch (who recognised Dillon!) accepted the gift graciously. I recall that motorbike ride with a mixture of wistfulness and terror! Later, as a trustee of the Museum, I searched for that barrow - not there!

Dillon had a heart condition which resurfaced, and he suffered a heart attack in about March/April 2023. He was hospitalised whilst they battled with a secondary infection, which was unsuccessful. He passed away peacefully after a sudden cranial bleed which, mercifully, he knew nothing about.

The very many people who knew, admired, loved and worked with Dillon Hughes will be sadly shocked to hear he has died. He was a maker of experiences, a loyal and stout friend, and an old pupil of which Truro School should be institutionally proud. All sympathy to his family.

Tribute by Bert Biscoe CO71

Graham Crocker CO51

1933 - 2023

Graham passed away peacefully on Sunday 28 May at St Austell Community Hospital at 90 years old. Loving husband of Iris, 67 years married, precious dad of Jenny, Alison and their husbands Richard and Ian. Proud grandad of seven and great-grandad of 12.

Tribute from local news. We welcome tributes and memories from anyone who may have known Graham personally.

David Williams CO50

1933-2022

My father, David Williams, was a man of great integrity, and knew the value of love, trust and respect. His journey through life was full of passion and devotion, starting in the RAF and finally, in his later years, serving as a Roman Catholic Priest. He was a devoted husband to Winifred Ruth Williams (nee Nicholls) and an inspirational, loving father towards myself and my sisters.

Many who met him were touched by his warmth and deep compassion for the human condition, and his desire to see equality and equity prevail. He will be remembered for his enthusiasm for life, his wit and his devotion to his ministerial work. My father’s health was challenged in Christmas 2021 when diagnosed with prostate cancer that spread to the bone, and he spent a long period of time in hospital. He had managed to return home for three weeks to enjoy his beloved garden, surrounded by those who loved him. Dad was artistic with both gardening and woodwork and his precious garden was his creative paradise, but sadly this was interrupted by further ill health and he had to return to hospital.

The staff at RD&E Hospital, Exeter, knew him well from his previous stay, and they all went that extra mile to enable him to pass away peacefully and comfortably. He will be deeply missed.

TRIBUTE BY DAVID’S DAUGHTER, SUE WILLIAMS