Bill Stimpson

4th May 1927 to 3rd November 2011

Bill Stimpson was born in Park Lane Appleton, the village where he would spend the majority of his life.

He attended Appleton School and then later Botley school during the years of WWII, and was also a member of the local Appleton Army Cadets. He would relate many stories of their antics later in life.

After leaving school Bill began work for Minn’s factory at Botley as a wood machinist. This taught him many woodworking skills that he could later use during his lifetime. He was called up to join the Army in 1945 and underwent training in Sheffield and later Yeovil.

He was then posted to Palestine as an Army driver. During this time, Bill contracted TB and was discharged from the Army in 1947. While convalescing he moved back home with his parents to Eaton Road Appleton.

In 1952 Bill set up the market garden with his brother Henry at 104A Eaton Road Appleton. As well as growing Vegetables and Flowers they also reared pigs and geese for a time. Bill operated a Fruit & Vegetable delivery round from his van, supplying Appleton and the Botley area with much of the produce that was grown at the nursery. Even in those days Bill had predicted that there was a market for good quality locally grown produce.

He met his future wife, Val, in 1953 at his brother Gordon’s 21st Birthday party, and they were married in 1957 in Oxford. Bill was a devoted father to their 4 children and he worked hard on his nursery to support his family through many tough times to make ends meet.

As a pastime Bill kept Racing Pigeons for many years. He regularly raced these as a member of both Abingdon and Wantage Racing Pigeon clubs. Winning first prize in his section of the National Pigeon Race from Nantes (France) in 1977 was one of his proudest moments

For Bill, Gardening and Vegetable growing were a hobby as well as a career.

Bill had a love of traditional folk music as sung in the local pubs during his teenage years; this passion carried on throughout his lifetime. Listening to CD’s of the Yetties in his retirement years always brought a cheerful smile to his face.

Bill loved the village of Appleton, and knew nearly every resident, building, road, tree and ditch from a lifetime of living and serving in the village. Bill will be remembered for being a great husband, father and grandfather as well as serving the community with his locally grown produce for so many years.

We thank Bill for the 84 years that he enriched this world.

The Stimpson family

Viewers might also be interested in some of the Stimpson family history. See Stimpson family history