WILLIAM ‘Bill’ Burgoyne has died at the age of 95. Bill was born shortly after the First World War to a family of local entrepreneurs and farmers and grew up when the horse and cart was the primary means of transport and power on a farm.

His father, Alfred founded A. Burgoyne Haulage Contractors and when Bill was born in 1920, the firm boasted at least one steam-driven lorry and a traction engine, ‘Lord Kitchener.’

In 1936, Bill started working for his father in the transport business while attending Kingsbridge Grammar School at the same time.

On graduation, Bill aspired to join the Metropolitan Police, but due to the outbreak of the Second World War, he joined the RAF instead.

He spent 5 ½ years in the Air Force with most of that time in the Middle East. He was demobbed early due to his father’s ill health and, with his twin brother Arthur, worked full time for Alfred until his death in 1953.

In 1948, A. Burgoyne Haulage Contractors became A. Burgoyne and Sons, with Arthur and Bill as directors along with their sister Enid - who had looked after things during the war.

The same year Bill married Rona, who survives him today after 67 years of marriage. He subsequently bought out his siblings and ran the business out of a garage on Union Road until his retirement in 1985.

For nearly 40 years Bill devoted himself to his family - John was born in 1950 and Ann in 1951 - and also his community.

An early interest in boxing developed into founding the Kingsbridge and District Amateur Boxing Club in 1948. Conscious of the lack of resources for the town’s youth, he built a boxing ring and gymnasium in his garage on Union Road.

He was an able pugilist - apparently he beat the future light heavy weight champion of Australia - and went on to become an international referee.

Farming was in the family blood and as his business prospered he acquired some land, started to raise South Devon cattle as a hobby and became a small time champion breeder.

Between 1954 and 1999, he acquired many awards at local shows and in 1974 was proud to point out that he sold a bull to the Queen. It is not clear that her Majesty was directly involved in this transaction, nor that it had anything to do with Bill’s award of a British Empire Medal in 1977.

Bill was very proud of his B.E.M., awarded for his services to the Special Constabulary. He joined the Special Constabulary in 1953 and achieved the rank of Divisional Commandant before retirement in 1985.

Bill also served on the Road Safety Committee and the executive committee of the Road Haulage Association. He was president of Kingsbridge Fair Week and a member of the Kingsbridge Agriculture and Horticulture Society and the West Alvington Horticultural Society.

In later years after retirement from business, Bill ran the senior citizens’ Bus Fund, was a driver for 16 years and also helped set up Victim’s Support Services in Totnes and Kingsbridge.

Bill’s life personified the best of his generation, modest but determined, thoughtful without fanfare and effective but unassuming. His many acts of personal kindness and generosity are left unrecorded while his service to his community is evident.

He was blessed with a fruitful and long life, a happy marriage and a family - with three grandchildren - for whom he has set an impressive example of how to live.

His funeral will be held at Torquay Crematorium on Monday, November 23 at 12.30pm.