HE was a musician who made his name in the punk era.

Owen Ford, 59, who was a founder member of the Killermeters, passed away on October 13 at his Linthwaite home.

The son of Irene and Owen McGrorty-Ford, he was the second of four children – Rosemary, Josephine and the late Felicity.

Born in Edinburgh, the family moved to Huddersfield when Owen was aged three and he first got into music as a child when he joined a youth orchestra.

And he came from a musical family. Sisters Josephine and Felicity played the violin and clarinet, and the family were in choirs.

But he took a different route into music – forming the Killermeters during the punk era.

He left the band shortly afterwards but still enjoyed music.

He later became involved with a band called The Willies, who were well-respected in Huddersfield and the region.

His mother Irene recalled: “He played guitar and violin, he liked string instruments, but he then got into the punk era and it went from there.”

But he had another role too – as a nurse working at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and, for a time, in London.

Irene added: “I rarely saw his band.

“He didn’t want his mum watching, but he carried on with it and they did quite well.

“He was very into the arts too, he did an art course in Huddersfield, but it was just a hobby.

“He was a very amusing, witty person and very knowledgeable too.”

Musician Dominic Beresford, son of the late Tom Beresford, knew Mr Ford through his father and the music scene.

He said: “He was very well-known on the music scene in Huddersfield and he was quite a character.

“After my father passed away six years ago he was very supportive.

“We’d meet for chats and he was a lovely bloke to be around – he was extremely talented and a great guy.”

Mr Ford’s band played at well-known music venues throughout the town in the 70s, including the White Lion and the Builders Club, both of which have long since disappeared.

A funeral service for Mr Ford took place yesterday at Huddersfield Crematorium.