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Departed
Friends - gone but not forgotten - our tribute
Eric
Hilton (Music
Teacher 1948-1976) - Passed away 18. April 2003 - Age 94
If you would like to add a few words to this or any other page
within our remembrance section, please send an Email
If
anyone objects to any inclusion, please tell me and I will remove
or amend it.
My
thanks to all former and current scholars and teachers for your
support
Bob
Meaker
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Remembered
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(incl. email contact) |
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Jeffrey
Neilson
|
09-05-2003
Please add a sad addition to Departed Freinds.
Mr. Eric Hilton passed away on Good Friday, 18th April 2003. He
was 94. As far as I know, he was the last of my teachers. He was
a great friend of my parents, and of me and my family. His teaching
inspired many pupils to appreciate the value of Music in their lives.
I was planning to see him in his nursing home in June, but will
now visit KGS and rekindle old memories.
Jeffrey Neilson (Pupil 1944 - 1950) |
Maureen
O'Neill
(Nee Maureen Clench) |
12-05-2003
Eric HIlton taught me during my period at school 1945-1952. I did
not appreciate it at the time but he gave me a love of classical
music I would not otherwise have had. I did write to him when he
was 91 and told him how grateful I was. He replied and obviously
remembered so much. One of the many excellent teachers we had at
KGS.
Maureen O'Neill (Pupil 1945 - 1952) |
| Mike
Adcock |
12-05-2003
I too was sorry to hear of the death of Eric Hilton. I made contact
with Eric again a couple of years ago, writing to him and letting
him know that I had eventually made a career in music. I took O-level
music with Eric in 1966 and although, as I told him in my letter,
I was more interested at the time in the Beatles than Beethoven,
he did introduce us to the wonderful Fantasia on a theme by Thomas
Tallis by Vaughan Williams which remains a favourite of mine
to this day. My memory of Eric from those lessons is him walking
slowly down the aisle between the desks, his eyes closed, absorbed
in the music he was playing to our mostly unappreciating, undeserving
ears.
In December 2002, on a Christmas time trip to the area, I visited
him at the nursing home in Thornbury. He was pleased to see me,
though I don't think he really remembered me. He had no real reason
to: I wasn't a star pupil, didn't even do A-level and never played
in the orchestra. But we talked about the school, about our families
and about music. I'm glad I was able to see him again.
Mike Adcock (Pupil 1961 - 1968) |
| Robin
Summerhill |
12-05-2003
As I mention in my profile,
Eric was, perhaps indirectly, responsible for pointing me in the
direction of a 25-year career in music (although, to be honest,
I doubt that he would have thought much of the music I played!).
He will be missed by those of us that remember him.
Robin Summerhill (Pupil 1963 - 1968) |
| Angela
Dury |
12-05-2003
I was at Westerleigh Crematorium on Friday 25th April at an uncle
of mine's funeral and the next name to his was Eric Hilton. I said
to my mother "I wonder if that is the music teacher at Kingswood
Grammar School" and I just read the news to verify that it
was Mr. Hilton. I remember him very well as a brilliant teacher
in class. God Bless Him.
Angela Dury (Pupil 1957 - 1962) |
| Derek
Bailey |
16-05-2003
I was saddened to hear the news about Eric Hilton. He, and his sometimes
right-hand man Mr. Lewis, gave me my love of the classics which
at that time, the early-1950's, was something I didn't realize would
stay with me all my life. He was a teacher that left his mark on
me that has enriched my life immeasurably. May he rest in peace.
Derek Bailey (Pupil 1949 - 1953) |
| Bob
Meaker |
19-05-2003
As Webmaster for this site, I try not to get my name or comments
all over the various pages - but this is an exception. Mr. Hilton
was one of only a few teachers in the school who made a lasting
impression on me (I'm sure that many of you will have the same feeling
for this great man). He introduced me to the world of music and
taught me how to appreciate and compose. Thanks to his influence,
I spent many years as a pro musician and still enjoy all types of
music. Thank you Mr. H... God bless you.
Bob Meaker (Pupil 1962 - 1967) |
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