Tributes paid to Shropshire church volunteer

Ralph Oldham has been described as a loyal and considerate gentleman who would always do what he said.

He died on May 31, aged 86, after a short illness.

Mr Oldham was a well known figure, having been a resident of Church Stretton and Hope Bowdler since his teens.

He was involved with the Parochial Church Council of St Andrew's Church in Hope Bowdler for over 60 years as a chorister, bell-ringer and gardener.

It was also at the church where he met his second wife Helen and the couple were married for over 30 years.

He qualified as a teacher in the early 1950s and taught at St Lawrence Primary School in Church Stretton until his retirement in the 1980s. Many people living locally remember being taught by him.

Mr Oldham was very interested in the work of the United Nations and developed many pen-friends in Czechoslovakia, this at a time when that country was still firmly entrenched behind the iron curtain. He made many trips to Czechoslovakia, where he became fascinated by the country's rich folk music.

Music was always of special interest for him and when he found a collection of unused hand-bells in the belfry of St Andrews in the 1960s, he gathered together groups of local teenage girls to perform concerts both locally and abroad.

Mr Oldham was also a founder member of the Craven Arms Men's Chorus, sometimes directing the choir himself and always keen to recount one of his collections of humorous stories.

He loved to tell The Tale of the Whisky Drinker, which would end up with him falling to a heap on the floor at the stories finale. He was still doing this at the ripe old age of 85 and told people that if you imagined yourself as a crumpled sock you wouldn't get hurt.

During the 1970s and 1980s he combined his love of music with writing, penning the 'All Kinds of Music' feature articles for Shropshire Magazine.

He remained fit and active until very recently and enjoyed maintaining his garden, which drew admiring glances when he and his wife Helen hosted the village fete there.

Mr Oldham leaves wife Helen; three children from his 25 year marriage to Rosemary, Chris, 57, Peter, 55 and Hilary, 52; nine grandchildren and two great-grand children.

• His funeral will take place at 10.15am tomorrow (June 12) at Emstrey Crematorium, London Road, Shrewsbury, which will be followed by a memorial service at St Andrew’s Church in Hope Bowdler at 12.15pm.