Ross-on-Wye
GRAHAM HURST 1936 - 2006
Everyone who knew him will have been greatly saddened by the death, on 15th August, of Graham Hurst, past Chairman and President of this Society.
Having lived in the Ross area since 1968, Graham was well-known in many spheres of community life in addition to his Civic Society work. Amongst other involvements he was the owner/manager of Benjamin's, the chemists in Broad Street (and latterly at the Community Hospital), until his retirement in 2004, and was prominent as a lay preacher in the Methodist Church.
His enormous contribution to the Civic Society is described in this tribute by Vice-President, Heather Hurley:-
"I first met Graham when leading a guided walk for the Wye Valley Countryside Service in the early 1980s. He showed a keen interest to participate in this organisation, and was soon leading his own walks. Graham later joined the Ross Civic Society and became a dedicated and hands-on supporter of the Rights-of-Way Committee, and in 1992 suggested that the society should produce a series of historical papers. This led to the production of the first Pink Publication in 1993 followed by a further sixteen papers which have served as a valuable contribution to the history of Ross and its neighbourhood.
As a popular and dedicated member of the society, Graham was elected Chairman in the 1990s and steered the committee meetings with cheerfulness and fair mindedness. After retiring as Chairman he made the obvious choice as President in 2000 when ten of the Pink Publications were bound in one volume called 'The Historical Aspects of Ross' to mark the Millennium. Although Graham gave up the presidency in 2004 due to ill health he continued to attend and support the society in a variety of ways".
Graham will always remain in the memories of Civic Society members as an enthusiast, a conciliator, a kind and generous colleague and a thoroughly nice man.
Ross-on-Wye & District Civic Society newsletter Autumn 2006 (number 90)
[Page updated: Feb 15 2011 13:31:59]
Fritz Fryer 
