Hugh Mothersole: an all-round man of steam

Many, like me , will be very much saddened to learn of the death of Hugh Mothersole, a very long-standing member of the SBA who was a brilliant all-round engineer, steamboater, model engineer, steam car enthusiast, boiler inspector and consultant. He was actually the Revd Hugh Mothersole in his role as a non-stipendiary Anglican priest although this aspect of him might not have been known by the many of us who, over the years, bought steam fittings, castings and even entire boats via his business 'HRM Steam'.

Hugh suffered what was effectively a devastating stroke around five years ago which put him into Stoke Mandeville hospital for many many months. Very severely disabled he was eventually able to return to his Essex home where, with great courage and full-time home care, he slowly rebuilt his life, even taking services from his wheelchair. When I last visited him at home in March he had managed to start driving locally again in a heavily modified electric car and was doing well, so to learn that he had died on 19th July after a short hospitalisation for an infection will be a shock to all who knew him and admired his amazing courage and tenacity.

There will, no doubt, be a funeral or other means of remembering his life and achievements and when details are known we will ensure that details are made available. Mark Rudall