Bill Exley was a tireless supporter of good causes.
Bill, who has died aged 87, devoted decades of work to Huddersfield’s Mrs Sunderland Music Festival, the town’s Breast Cancer Clinic Appeal and his beloved Huddersfield Town.
Born in June, 1930, at Weston-Super-Mare, he was the youngest of four children. When the family moved to Newsome , Bill “reluctantly” attended Stile Common School, where he hated arithmetic and failed his 11-plus. He continued his education at Kaye’s College.
His talent as an organiser began to emerge when at the age of 12, he set up and compered a children’s concert at Newsome Church Hall in aid of the Wartime Comforts Fund.
After studying a junior technician course at Huddersfield Technical College, Bill began work at the age of 16 at Holmes Engineering at Turnbridge where he rose to become shipping manager, a post he held until his retirement aged 63.
Bill undertook his National Service with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers attached to a tank recovery unit at Redford, Nottinghamshire, where his adventures included rescuing a tank that had got stuck under a low bridge.
Bill attended Milton Church, now part of the University of Huddersfield campus, where he met another church member, Joyce Senior. The couple married in 1955 and lived at Marsh before moving to Salendine Nook in 1975. Mr Exley moved to New Mill in 1993 following Joyce’s death in 1991.
Joyce was an associate member of Huddersfield Choral Society and a principal singer with Honley Gilbert and Sullivan Society, where Bill was stage manager and compere.
Bill started working for the Mrs Sunderland when he was 14 in the days when the technical college ran the competition. Bill’s job was to carry the trophies from the college basement to Huddersfield Town Hall and put up the number of the competitors on a board by the organ. He was paid 10s – 50p – or his efforts.
Over a 50-year connection with the festival, Bill’s role included acting as chief steward, liaising with town hall staff, organising and compering the final night concert and being responsible for tickets, money and trophies. He was made an honorary life member on his retirement – when Michael Hampshire took over from him as vice-chairman.
In 1984, Joyce was diagnosed with breast cancer and despite fighting a brave battle, died at home in 1991. In 1989, Bill began raising money for patients at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary , buying three TV sets for the patients,
After 11 months, the Breast Cancer Clinic Appeal had raised £15,000 which enabled the hospital to buy an ultrasound scanner. When the appeal led by Bill and Dr Ron Jameson closed in 2012 more than £1m had been raised to support thousands of cancer patients. Bill, who led the appeal for 23 years, was given a Yorkshire Unsung Hero Award in 2003 and an Examiner Community Award for services to charity.
Bill’s 50-year association with Huddersfield Town began on the turnstiles selling ticket and programmes. Later, he became chief courtesy steward and match day tour guide. He retired from his duties in 2014 when the club gave him a special award.
Bill married his second wife, Anne, in 1995. Despite being affected by illness in the last five years of their marriage, he and Anne would make every effort to pop down to the town hall to look in on the Mrs Sunderland competition.
A funeral took place on May 24.
