Back in the 1970s Willie was a leading light in the very active social life of Ealing Rugby Club. He combined his passion for rugby and the club with a love of music and singing. Who could forget him singing with the other club members and players in The Kent pub, jumping up on a table to conduct his impromptu “choir”? A born organiser, and a charismatic character, people were drawn to him. He organised, with army discipline and precision, but always with a gentlemanly courtesy, many club extravaganzas, drawing on the “talents”of club members to provide enjoyable entertainment over the years. He also had a gift for words and writing (remember him as “Scoop”when he used to submit to the local rag?) He spent the latter years of his life writing stories and articles about his “observation of life” having a book “The Miner’s Lamp” published in 1999.
Willie and his dear wife Win were very close. It was very sad to see how he succumbed to the ravages of ill health after she died. But when he was no longer able to go and watch Ealing play rugby he showed great interest in reading the match programmes, and The Trailfinders Times. He kept his feisty, inventive indomitable scrum half spirit right up to the end.
