‘OUR CLAUDE’ STILL WIELDING HIS GAVEL AT 89

‘Our Claude’, official title Major Claude Hill, MBE, reaches the ripe old age of 89 this week and is still wielding his auctioneer’s gavel in aid of Leigh Camera Club.

One of the most popular and most knowledgeable members and the club’s oldest active member, Claude has built up a tradition of being the auctioneer for the club’s biennial auction of a great variety of photographic equipment donated by members.

The latest auction held on Thursday, March 9, was a particularly vintage one for old cameras and lenses many of which would be more at home in museums than being used by keen amateur photographers.

The event raised another good sum of money with Jeff Goodman and Chairman Tony Estcourt presenting the sales items that Claude put under the hammer.

Claude is well-known in the district not only for his work with Leigh Camera Club but for his exploits in charge of the special pigeon operations unit in Europe and the Far East which have been finally unveiled.

These have led to him making several appearances in television news and documentary programmes over the past five years.

He was also chosen as Castlepoint’s Sportsman of the Year around the same time, because of his long association with pigeon racing at both local and national levels.

In his working days he was a well-known auctioneer and his skill on the auction podium has never left him.

JOHN GILES