We extend our sincere condolances to the family and friends of Ian Anthony Hamilton (OS 1963) who sadly died on 12th February 2024.

Ian was awarded a scholarship to Stockport Grammar School in 1956, when he was eleven. He enjoyed his time at the school and particularly gained from being introduced to some of the extra-curricular activities. He was a member of the school choir throughout his time there and was particularly pleased that one year he was asked to sing the treble solo in ‘Once in Royal David City’ to start off the school carol service. He also learned to play the organ while he was at school. He gained another hobby from taking part in several school plays in which, until his voice broke, he was rather disappointed to get female parts as it was an ‘all boys’ school at that time. He played Lady Macduff, in Macbeth and also Coriolanus’ wife. He was also in the Air Training Corps where he manged to make Corporal and got to travel to various RAF bases.

After leaving school he studied law at Manchester university and went on to qualify as a solicitor. After working as an assistant solicitor with various local firms he finally had his own firm on Greek Street, known as H Bernard Brooks and Co. He took slightly early retirement but soon took on a job with a friend’s firm working one day a week doing all their wills and probate. He really enjoyed this and didn’t finally retire until two years before he died.

Ian was never a man who lived only for his work and he had several hobbies. He was a life-long railway enthusiast and had a large Hornby Dublo model railway.

His involvement with the school choir gave him a life-long love of singing. He sang for about 30 years with Mellor Church choir and in the 90’s put his organ playing to use as well when he was usually required to stand in for the regular organist and choirmaster when he was away. He was involved with other choirs over the years and was the musical director of the Ladybrook Singers, a ladies’ choir from Hazel Grove for about four years in the early 2000s.

Ian combined his singing and acting talents by singing Gilbert and Sullivan with several different companies and he played most of the G & S comic parts over the years, as well as one or two straight plays.

One of his later hobbies was photography, particularly church photography. This grew from a growing interest in churches triggered by a long association with Romney Marsh and its medieval churches. He was a volunteer photographer for the National Churches Trust for several years and had quite a few of his photographs published in their literature. He also did some photography for the Churches Conservation Trust. Several of his photographs have been published in articles in magazines and books and he even had one in the Times. On a different subject, he had numerous images published in the Hornby Railway Collectors Association Magazine. He also put some of his photographs to use in giving slide talks on a number of subjects to various groups, from Probus clubs to Mothers Unions and everything in between.

Ian was an interesting and active person with a wide group of friends and an interest in many organisations. He was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of leukaemia in September 2022 which sadly led to his passing. Ian leaves behind his wife, Christine and son, Neil OS (1980) along with many friends and former colleagues.