Another very sad loss. Like Mick, I'm a bit surprised it has only just been mentioned as Tony was always very active on behalf of the RNLI through the Southern Model Lifeboat Society and travelled to shows and events all over the country.
I knew Tony for over 40 years from back in the heyday of the MPBA Scale Championships in the 70s & 80s and in later years usually bumped into him once or twice a year when we had a catch up, often at the Midhurst Model Show or anywhere else that the SMLS was exhibiting which was at many of the major events.
As Mick says, he was always a real gentleman with a great sense of humour who built some superb lifeboat models and often exhibited at the Model Engineer Exhibition.
Tony's day job was running his business Emsworth Kitchens where he lived on the south coast and after his retirement some years ago he and his wife would often travel to France for short breaks and on one occasion while watching the entry into Portsmouth from a ferry when returning from one of our own trips I felt a tap on the shoulder and there was Tony grinning away as usual.
The photo below shows Tony at Midhurst in 2015 holding the award he was given by the RNLI to mark 25 years of fundraising, something he was very proud of. I do hope the RNLI will mention him in the next issue of their magazine, he certainly deserves it.
Tony was one of the best, he will be missed.
Colin
