George Pickles, the last man to serve as the solo Ripon hornblower, has died.
Mr Pickles’ death was announced on the hornblowers’ Facebook page, with a touching tribute from the four members of the hornblower team. It said:
“It is with great sadness that we must report the news that Mr George Pickles has passed away.“George was the hornblower for 12 years and during that time entertained countless crowds with the ceremony and not to mention his charming wit.“On behalf of the hornblower team, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and his friends at this time.“Sleep safe George, The watch is set.”
Many people have commented on the post what a wonderful man Mr Pickles was. One said:
“George was a true servant of Ripon and raised the profile of the hornblower tradition and of the city significantly.”
Ripon hornbowers, from the left: Allison Clark, Patricio Maglio, Richard Midgley, Wayne Cobbett have paid a moving tribute to George Pickles.
Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams said:
“George was hornblower on the two occasions that I served as mayor and I have many fond memories of the way in which he performed the setting of the watch with style and dignity.“He was the last of the city’s solo hornblowers, before the decision was taken to appoint a team to work on a rota basis to carry out the nightly ceremony at the obelisk on Market Square.“George was a man with a lovely sense of humour, who captivated audiences when he told them about Ripon’s rich history and traditions.“The city council will mark George’s passing with a minute’s silence, when we return from recess in September.”