Shropshire businessman dies at 78

Mr Hathaway was well known in the business community and ran Hathaway & Sons, with premises in Abbey Foregate, Harlescott and later Monkmoor, which was a wholesale distributors of motor accessories, industrial tools and equipment.

The business grew from the base in Shrewsbury and had depots in Wellington, Telford, Wolverhampton and Walsall, during the 1980s and 1990s, and later Hathaways was sold to Bennett's, a national firm, and is now part of that business.

He is survived by children Suzanne, James, Edward and Sophie, and five grandchildren.

Wife Joan, who died in 2009, was also a well known Shropshire figure on a number charity committees including the Red Cross and The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital League of Friends, and was a renowned cook winning Shropshire Cook of the Year and Aga Cook of the Year in the mid-1990s.

Son James said: "He had lived in Meole Brace since 1979 where we four children were raised and on retirement and when we had left home, he and Joan ran an award-winning bed and breakfast for about 10 years at Meole Brace Hall.

"Rooms were enjoyed by many, in particular visiting authors who came to Shrewsbury as part of a book tour to talk about their recently-published books at the Shrewsbury Music Hall and theatre. There were lots of interesting tales, from broadcasters through to retired politicians, on their stays.

"My father had a passion for the Shropshire countryside. He was a keen fisherman and was on several shoots for over 45 years. He ran the Leigh Manor shoot, Minsterley. He was also a keen bridge player, playing in a couple of Shrewsbury clubs.

"Most recently he built a home in the grounds of Meole Brace Hall. The house is called Castle Manor as it was built close to the possible site of a manor house or castle from late Saxon times. He worked with archaeologists and the council on this project as part of the planning process."

The funeral on September 1 is private due to present restrictions.

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