I got news this morning from his grand daughter Karen that my old friend Billy Parsons died yesterday morning aged 93 years. My connection with Billy was through our mutual liking for walking up to the top of Letcliffe each day so this isn't an official obituary, others will chronicle his life in detail I am sure. I am so sorry to hear he has gone and my thoughts are with Karen and the family, she knew how much respect I had for Billy and like me, remembers his wicked sense of humour and his total integrity.
However, I decided I couldn't let this pass without some memories. I first met Billy on Letcliffe about twenty years ago when I started walking up there regularly each dinnertime and found a group of blokes sat on a bench next to the plinth that once supported the Letcliffe Tank. They welcomed me, I sat with them and I soon found out that this was an interesting group. The conversation ranged over local history, farming and yes, a little gentle gossip. The first thing that struck me was the similarity between them and the characters in 'Last of the Summer Wine' so I christened them 'The Wild Bunch'. They were a wonderful source of historical facts, I checked a lot of my research with them. Billy in particular got very interested when I told him I was researching the use of Holly trees as 'browse wood', a valuable source of winter feed for farm animals.
Occasionally other guests would drop in and I realised that we had a problem, the bench wasn't big enough for the congregation! Much joking about sitting cheek to cheek. I had a word with Colin Patten who at that time was in charge of the council department that ran the parks. I told him what the problem was and he said he'd arrange for a new form to be placed alongside the existing one. I asked if that meant the new vandal-proof metal slats and when he said yes I told him that was no good, we all had piles and wanted wooden slats! Inside a fortnight one of the underused benches was moved and reinstalled next to 'ours'. I think I got three Brownie Points!
Billy was a pipe smoker and he and I used to swap fills of tobacco as we sat talking. He was a mine of information and was always interested in what I was looking into. Many a time we met each other on Park Road and walked up the hill together, not rushing but steady progress and an hour's entertainment when we reached the bench. Occasionally I took friends up there who were visiting and Billy was always glad to meet someone different. They all agreed with me that as an example of a totally innocent and enjoyable way of passing the time the experience couldn't be beaten. They were right and I treasure the memory of the hours I spent up there with the lads but Billy in particular. I shall miss him....
Billy with two of my American friends, Martha and Roger Paas.
