RIP - Roy F Hendries, (ORC, 53-62)

Roy was born in Towyn, West Wales in 1943, the son of Gwyn and Olwen Hendries and brother to Michael. He spent an idyllic childhood in the seaside village of Aberdovey and at the age of 11 left home to join his brother at Christ College Brecon. In Orchard house at Brecon he enjoyed sporting success in the cricket and rugby teams and won the school long jump championship 2 years running. He was secretary of the chess club, debating society and an active member of the film club. He became a house and school prefect. Whilst at school he developed a love of history and geography which would lead to hid lifelong love of travel. Unfortunately, his secondary education was interrupted for a year by his contracting TB, but he caught up and did well at school achieving 3 A Levels and winning school prizes, amongst them the Lord Atkin Essay prize and the prize for English Literature.

After leaving school at 18 he joined his brother in London and became articled to a firm of accountants, following in his father and brother’s footsteps. He worked in a series of companies, the most notable of these being Essex Music. During that time he had a spell working as a tour guide in Corfu with Murison Small but later decided to branch out on his own. Initially he ran a successful import and export business, followed by a leather goods manufacturing company in hackney and finally a company manufacturing dental and medical products in Acton. Alongside his businesses he worked as a lecturer in economics, business studies and law at Farnborough Technology College where he was extremely popular with all his students.

In 1975 he moved to Camberley in Surrey and married Connie with whom he had 2 daughters, Caroline and Stephanie. Despite the birth of his 2 daughters and work commitments he spent any free time studying and was successful in gaining a degree in Humanities from the Open University.

A lifelong liberal, in the early 80s he joined the newly formed SDP (Social Democratic Party) and became very active, attending party conferences, standing for the local council and becoming the local party charman. He was offered the opportunity to stand as the SDP parliamentary candidate for Reading East which he had to turn down due to family and work commitments.

After his retirement from Farnborough College at the age of 60 he enjoyed working as an examiner for Edexcel.

He was an avid reader with a particular love for the works of Malcolm Lowry and Thomas Hardy. He loved travelling but package holidays were not for him. He preferred adventure with unscheduled stops and detours, mostly by car. He visited over 35 countries including India, China, Brazil, Cuba, Jordan and so on. His other passions were bridge, swimming, cinema, Victorian art and in his later years, visiting National Trust houses.

He was extremely proud of his daughters, Caroline and Stephanie, and his sons-in-law, Brett and Stewart. Family was everything to him and he was so excited when, in 2016, his granddaughter, Georgie was born.

He was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather and is sorely missed by all his family and friends.

Roy died on 28th May 2020 after a year long and distressing battle with cancer which he bore bravely. He was able to end his days peacefully at home with his family due to the wonderful care and support of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice.