Real memorial obituaries – Combe Down, Monkton Combe, Midford

In memoriam et celebrationem

In memorial and celebration

Richard Douglas Spence Hill was born to Robert and Maureen Hill on 17 September 1952, in Kirkuk, Iraq, where Robert was posted with work. Richard’s younger sister, Julie, was born two years later. When the Iraqi military coup took place in 1958, women and children were instructed to leave, and Richard and his sister and mother returned to the UK. His parents later divorced, and Maureen married Tony Scammell. They had two sons, Phillip and Jonathan.

Richard’s parents lived and worked abroad through most of his childhood, and he saw little of them. In 1960, aged just 7, he was sent to board at Brockhurst School in Berkshire, and in 1965, having done well in his common entrance, was sent to secondary school (and bumped up a year) at Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex, again as a boarder. Richard hated both
schools. He left school at 18 not wanting to go to university. His first job was for a travel
company in Brighton.

In 1971, feeling under pressure to go to university, he started at City of London Poly to do a BA in Economics, but quickly lost interest and failed the first year. Things started to look up when he began working at Pearl Vintners, having realised he should do something he liked – and “wine was it”. He then rediscovered a love for learning, going on to gain a Diploma in Wines and Spirits, a Diploma in Management Studies, an MSc in Marketing Management, and a Diploma of Marketing with Honours. He joined American Express, then Welbeck
Financial Services, working his way up to becoming Marketing Director.

In December 1981, he met Margaret through a mutual friend. Richard said, “Our eyes met! Sparks flew. It’s true that you can fall in love at first sight. I did with Margaret. The love of my life.”

He and Margaret married on 18 September 1982, honeymooning in St Mawes, then bought their first house together in Muswell Hill in London. They moved to Combe Down in June 1984. In October that year, their first child, Benjamin, was born. In January 1988 their second child, Alessandra, was born but tragically died at just 2 days old. Their youngest child,
Victoria, was born in 1990.

In 1985, Richard joined Citibank and Storecard, before being headhunted for Royal Insurance. In 1987, he was offered the chance to form The Insurance Service, to compete with Direct Line. “The best job ever” as he described it, and where he was a popular and
well-respected boss and colleague. He created an ethos of positivity and innovation, taking the company from nothing to a value of £16 million in 7 years.

For much of his working life the location of Richard’s jobs meant he spent much time away from home. His greatest pleasure was to be at home or on holiday with Margaret, Benjamin and Victoria.

Richard retired in 2014. Freed from the constraints of paid employment, he was able to develop his passion for local history. Prior to Now sprung from his initial idea to simply find out when their house on Church Road was built. Once he’d started researching the house, he then thought about looking into the people who lived in the house, then, as the house is so intertwined with others in the block, also looking at those houses and their inhabitants.

He became totally immersed in his work, first creating a book, and then developing it into a website, which continues to be the most fascinating and comprehensive account of all things related to Combe Down. It represents a huge amount of work. He only stopped this work a few days before his death, such was his determination to ensure that Prior to Now would be left in safe hands.

He loved seeing the local community connect via the Facebook page. Some comments from PtN group members:
“Always willing to explain and enrich the knowledge of others.”
“Richard helped reconnect so many people across many generations with their memories.”
“His posts contained so much interesting information and amazing photos – that I’ve learnt
so much about the social history and geography of our part of the world. An amazing
legacy!”

In the last 12 years of his life, Richard and Margaret lived life to the full, travelling extensively, including to Myanmar, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, USA, Italy, Croatia, Spain, and Morocco. They celebrated their Ruby
Wedding in September 2022.

Richard accepted his diagnosis calmly. He lived long enough – as he was determined to do – to meet his youngest grandchild, Neve, in 2024. His great sadness was that he would not see Neve and her brothers, Xander and Kit grow up and really know their grandfather. He spent much of his last 8 months working on Prior to Now, and enjoying good food and wine with close family and friends.

Depart then satisfied, for he also who releases thee is satisfied