Sad news

[Edward Matthews]

It is with deep regret that we wish to advise the passing away of
Bill Wilkinson on Thursday the 15th January 2004 in hospital.
Bill's health had been deteriorating for a while but this did not
stop him attending Windermere Museum and the Ellesmere Port Boat
Convention in 2003.
His large manned paddle tugs were always a sight to see and remember.
The hobby has lost a great individual character.

My mum also died on saturday 17th January, so if enyone emails me
please accept my apologies if you don't get an immediate reply....

Regards
Eddy

[Paulrjordan]

Dear Eddy:

I have already written to you personally following the sad loss of
your Mum last week. I know that all our Paddleducks will join me in
expressing our sincere sadness and condolences to you and your
family. We fully understand it's difficult for you to maintain your
usually active online presence at this time, but please be assured
you are in our thoughts.

In spite of you having to deal with your own personal loss, I
specially appreciate you telling us of Bill Wilkinson's passing. I'll
deal with this in a separate posting.

Meanwhile, do take care and remember..it's not ALL about model ships
and paddlewheelers, but equally about the PEOPLE who build or simply
enjoy them.

Sincere best wishes

PJ
Victoria, British Columbia. Canada

[Paulrjordan]

Again, Eddy, thanks for passing this on especially during your own
time of personal loss with your Mum's passing.

I have written to Paul Chester who has been Bill Wilkinson's close
friend and right-hand person in operating his fleet of huge paddle-
tug models. I think my email very much expresses the way I feel
about Bill, so I will reprint it here. I will encourage Paul (or
someone) to create a tribute website to Bill so that he can be
remembered through his valuable legacy of models.

For those of you who don't know, Bill Wilkinson was a totally unique
modeler who specialized in building very large fully operating scale
model ships. He lived in a tiny flat above a store in Leyland,
Lancashire, UK. His most famous creations, all made in the upstairs
flat, were his 1/12 scale (1":ft) scale models of Royal Navy Steam
Paddle Tugs which he could actually sit inside and operate. His
largest creation, also made in the flat around 1983, was a 25 foot
fully operating scale model of J.P. Morgan's private steam
yacht "Corsair".

Here, then is a copy of the email I sent to Paul and I'm sure all
PD's around the world will wish to join me in sending him their
condolences.
___________________________________________________________________

From: Paul Jordan
To: P.J.Chester@btinternet.com
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 11:53 AM
Subject: Sad News about Bill

Dear Paul:

I was deeply saddened, as must be many others, at the news of Bill's
passing last week. I know you were very close to him because, not
only were you his right-hand person in operating his models, but you
once told me you "are the family he doesn't have", and this special
tie you had to him must make it a particularly painful time for you.
I know you had told me a year ago his health was failing but this
doesn't in any way lessen the shock at losing such a close friend

Anybody who saw Bill's models, either "live" or in magazines, could
not help but be amazed by them. Their large size was equally
reflected by his huge talent as a designer and model builder and his
generosity in sharing his creations with the public who so admired
them.

I really do regret having never met him in person and it was one of
my ambitions to fulfill during my visit to the UK later on this
year. During a trip to the UK two years ago I tried to visit him in
Leyland but, with his dislike for telephones and computers, I had no
quick way of contacting him. Regrettably, I did not make the 30 mile
detour on my way down from Scotland to Brighton on the off-chance I
might be able to catch him at home... I truly wish I had done.
Hopefully he did get the phone message I left with the lady in the
shop underneath his flat at #347 Leyland Lane.

Although I very much looked forward to eventually meeting him in
person, I am so pleased I was able to reach him through you last year
by email and I thank you for giving me that opportunity. I well
remember how you also told me how you two would get together on
Saturday mornings and how excited he was to know that hundreds of
people around the world were now able to admire his work and
appreciate his talent through the images you put on the Internet. I
shall treasure the handwritten 11-page letter he sent me two years
ago in which his truly generous character was evident in the warmth
and degree of detail contained in those pages.

On behalf of our Paddleducks group of over 240 paddlewheel modelers
world wide, I send my condolences to you and, remembering Bill
wherever he is, to truly express our gratitude for the contribution
he has made to the world of ship modeling. He has left a valuable
historic legacy in his models which I fervently hope, with your
help, will continue to bring pleasure to thousands of people as they
have done so in the past.

The talented and uniquely eccentric little man with the wild white
hair from Leyland will be sadly missed but never forgotten.

Paul (Jordan)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Co-Moderator Paddleducks

[Edward Matthews]

Hi all,

Just a quick note to say a BIG thankyou to everyone that expressed
sympathy and support either on this forum or via email following the
death of my mum.

It's impossible to reply to everyone individually, but every one of
your messages helped more than mere words can ever express.

Kindest regards
Eddy

[Tony Mattson]

Eddy, your news is indeed sad on both counts. Please accept our
sympathies and condolences at the passing of your mother. My wife lost
her mother late last year and the gap left in our lives is huge indeed.

To read of Mr Wilkinson's passing is also saddening, especially
considering that it was only a few days ago that you posted your
'man-sized paddlers' url sending us all to view his work with
admiration. The hobby has indeed lost a giant amongst paddlers.

Tony

[Leighton]

My sympathy goes out to you Eddy. Just take one day at a time.
Having been there and done that last September when my wife of 31 years passed away I can understand how you are feeling.
Keep your chin up Fella and try to think of the good times.

Leighton
NZ

[wsnowdon]

Can I also add my condolences on the passing away of Bill. I met him
on many occasions at model shows and thoroughly enjoyed our chats.
Bill was a rather shy person, but as soon as he recognised a kindred
spirit his enthusiasm poured out. Always a quiet unasuming man his
huge talent for creating a masterpiece out of the most basic
materiels was somewhat awe inspiring. You had only to stand beside
one of his huge models to realise the immense effort required to make
them. Bill never had a garage workshop or work area. Everything was
made in a small upper flat with the most basic of tools. I once told
him how my favourite motto created havoc at work ( carved in wood
above my desk )- the bosses didnt like it, but Bill thought it
covered model makers the world over. BLESSED ARE THE CRACKED FOR THEY
LET IN THE LIGHT FOR THE REST OF US. Bill thought it was marevelous
and fitted him perfectly. Bill, wherever you are, keep building them
big and let in the light for everyone. Kindest regards, Walter