Tom Hutton

A little over twenty years ago a young couple came to see me to ask if they could rent the Manor Farm House in Wherwell. I was anxious to let it to someone who would take part in the village life, and had already turned down several applicants because I did not feel they had the right qualifications or outlook. When I talked to Tom and Barbara Hutton I knew instinctively that I had at last found the ideal people, and how right I was! Every year Tom used to bully me into writing an article for the "Anthology" of the Sports Day on Wherwell Playing Fields, and sadly this year I have to write it about him. Tom died on February 22nd after the most courageous fantastically brave battle against cancer. His courage was quite phenomenal, and he faced up to no less than seven major operations in three years, but alas it was the one battle he did not win.

 

Thomas Young Ridley-Hutton was born in 1934 in the Yorkshire Dales which he always loved. Unfortunately he was orphaned at the age of six and spent some years with relations on farms in Dumfriesshire. However, he returned to Yorkshire and then completed his education at University. He then joined the Parachute Regiment where unfortunately he had a serious accident when parachuting and broke his back in three places, and also his nose. He was in hospital for six months and was told that he might never walk again and would certainly never parachute again.

 

Being Tom he thought differently and succeeded not only in rejoining his regiment and parachuting, but in taking up athletics again, and proving his fitness by running for his battalion in three mile and cross-country races. In case anyone needed further proof he walked from London to Newcastle and back in the month of February when the weather was at its worst.

 

In 1959 he married Barbara, a most happy and successful marriage, and they and their six children were a really devoted and united family.
A little over a year and a half later he left the army and took up organic farming, which he enjoyed very much. However, by bad luck or over enthusiasm he had another serious accident when he tried to attach a trailer to his tractor while holding down the Hydraulics by hand. This put him back in hospital for several weeks and he was forbidden to do any manual work for at least two years.

 

Undefeated he then turned to business and joined the Education Department of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica, where his obvious ability quickly brought him a senior management position, controlling Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Dorset, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands, and he was also accorded the honour of being elected a member of the elite Internation Century Club. It was at this stage of his life that he and his family came to live at the Manor Farm House - a lucky day indeed for Wherwell.

In spite of his heavy business commitments with the enormous area he had to cover he threw himself heart and soul into helping wherever he could in the village activities. Thanks to his efforts the annual Church Fete took on a new look and the profits increased year by year. He also turned his attention to the playing fields, and in due course became Chairman of the Association, a post which he held for over ten highly successful years, until his death. Thanks to him Wherwell can be, and is, extremely proud of its Playing Fields, transformed by him into something many a large town would be happy to own. He helped renovate the Pavilion, and the table tennis hut and made many other improvements, but his greatest achievement was the building of a floodlit football area which in the summer could also be used as hard tennis courts. This was a gargantuan undertaking at a cost of £30,000 all of which was raised by Tom's efforts. He managed to persuade the Football Association to give him a grant of £10,000, and several other organisations also contributed. He raised the annual Playing Fields Fete to such a high standard that it brought crowds and money from far and wide. His terrific enthusiasm was infectious and everyone who was able, found ways of raising money for this project. Finally and entirely under his supervision it was built and ready to be opened in 1981. This ceremony was a big event attended not only by the village, but by many other surround towns and villages. The opening ceremony was performed by Laurie McMenemy, at that time manager of the "Saints", and we were also honoured by the presence of Mr. Bird who normally led the teams on to the ground at Wembley on Cup Final Night, and on this occasion led the teams on for exhibition matches on the new pitches. It was a great night for Tom, and I hope he realized how proud the village was of this tremendous achievement, and of him. Considering the extent of his business commitments it is hard to imagine how he found time not only to mastermind all the projects but to personally supervise every bit of work on them.

 

His energy was quite amazing, and was not only confined to public works. I know there are several people in the village who owe him a very deep debt of gratitude for his sympathetic and quiet approach to their problems and the help he gave them, unknown to most of us.

 

Tom and Barbara at the Fete, Champetre 22nd July 1986 In all he did he had the devoted help of Barbara and his family. I was aware that at times Barbara felt he was taxing himself too high, but as she could not stop him she did the next best thing and gave him all the support she could, as did his children.

 

Now that we have lost Tom, his son Sean has stepped into his shoes, ably assisted by all the family, and the first event he helped organise was the Church Fete, which was much enjoyed by everyone, and financially very successful. I am sure that the Sports Day will be equally successful and that the Hutton family will have the support and goodwill they deserve. Tom had some further ambitious schemes for the Sports Field and a Memorial Fund is being started, which it is hoped might help to bring some of his dreams to fruition, and preserve his memory for future generations.

 

Wherwell Anthology XIV - First published August 1987