Tributes to an ex-mayor and wartime RAF pilot (From Evesham Journal)

Tributes to an ex-mayor and wartime RAF pilot

6:00pm Saturday 18th February 2012 in News

FOND tributes have been paid to a high-flying former Pershore mayor who died on Wednesday last week aged 87.

Group Captain Richard Hampton was born on May 1, 1924, and signed up to the RAF when he was 18. He was based in various locations across the globe including Palestine and Italy, where he flew Wellington Bombers.

He completed 31 missions and was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1956 for exceptional valour, courage and devotion to duty.

He retired to Pershore in 1972 and served on Wychavon District Council and on Pershore Town both as a councillor and then mayor.

Former mayor Chris Parsons served with Capt Hampton for many years on the town council and also with the Pershore Air Training Corps (ATC). He said: “He was always a gentleman and a pleasure to work with. He always had Pershore at his heart – and always had the youngsters on the ATC at heart.”

Current mayor John Grantham knew Capt Hampton for about 40 years. “It was very sad to see him go,” he said.

“We will be having a minute’s silence for him this morning [yesterday]. He was a great man. He did a lot of work for the town. He became known in the town and was well loved.”

Widower Capt Hampton chose Val Wood as his Mayoress due to the death of his wife Monica before he took up the chains of office as mayor.

She remembers how she taught him to dance during their tenure together. She said: “Richard was the one who encouraged me to become involved in local government, was a very dear friend and mentor who taught me to read a balance sheet.”

Capt Hampton was also a Pershore High School governor, and the recently built Autistic Unit at the Station Road school is named after him.

In his later life, he became a member of Evesham Rambling Club and served as Civic Society chairman. The funeral is being held next Thursday at Shrewsbury Crematorium at 2.30pm.