`Community Spirits`

The last in our occasional series about the lives and work of those who work in the community. Representatives from the medical, educational, spiritual, social and political professions have been approached.

No. 5 The Solicitor's Story

It is interesting to note that two out of the four people I had previously interviewed for this Community Spirits series were very quietly spoken. Is it because they had something important to say and therefore their audience, me, was, by way of courtesy, unusually attentive? Or is it that one expects a doctor (Dr Philip Bell) to be softly spoken with a reassuring bedside manner or the local clergyman (Rev. Fred Dawson) to reflect his pastoral ethos? I leave you, dear reader, to consider this. Anyway, I now had the opportunity to interview one of our local solicitors, John Frederick Tillotson, who too emanated a smooth quiet self-confidence and in hushed tones uttered meaningful phrases with absolute knowledge and self assuredness. So the first thing that struck me when I met John for our informal interview - he dressed conservatively, almost predictably, in a dark navy blue suit with a Rotary Club tie carrying a folder, his 'brief' in his hand - was not just his quiet precise manner and meticulousness but also a genuine warmth and humanity and a desire to listen and help and "get things done".

John, presently the senior partner of South Leicestershire' Solicitors practice, Wartnabys, says it's his ability to work with, and especially communicate with, fellow human beings which has helped him to establish himself and his practice in our community.

But John was not always going to be a solicitor! A Yorkshireman by birth and the younger of twins (Peter is older but only just!) John was brought up in a professional family in Menston, between Bradford and Ilkley, in the late 1930's and wartime 1940's. He says his childhood was very enjoyable despite the wartime austerity. His late father was a bank manager with Martins Bank Ltd (later part of Barclays). His mother was a local private General Medical Practitioner and was one of the first women to attend Leeds University in 1928. She is now 90 years old and lives in Leicester. She eventually found herself selling her practice to Aneurin Bevan's new National Health Service in 1948. It was while attending Bootham School (1948 -1951) in York, that John's (and Peter's) career teacher suggested to their father that they would never go to University and they should leave as soon as possible to find employment outside. So this is what happened. Both Peter and John were found work in a woollen factory in Bradford but this didn't last and they both left to continue with their education, Peter eventually going to Oxford followed by Harvard Business School to gain an MA while John obtained his LL.B degree in 1956 at Nottingham University.

John told me that he didn't particularly excel at school - "Just an average student"- first at Ghyll Royd Preparatory School in Ilkley and subsequently as a boarder at Bootham School before attending Bradford Technical College. He did enjoy playing chess (a quiet activity) and cricket for the 2nd XI although strangely he actually disliked Physical Training and "sitting in silence at the Quaker Meeting House"(was this for fear of something worse one wonders?).

John sat the new GCE 'O' levels examination in 1951, gaining passes in the maximum permitted number of subjects at the time, 5, in Latin, French, English Language, Mathematics and History and progressed to 'A' levels in French and Geography before deciding to read Law at Nottingham.

He had visited his father's bank a few times and liked the environment of office life. To day, John's working week will entail arriving at work in Market Harborough at 8.30 am five days a week reading the incoming mail including documents, telephoning and dictating responses to letters and drawing up documents, interviewing clients and giving carefully considered advice. Occasionally John visits clients in their own homes. A good client service practice.

He related the story that whilst studying for his Law Society Finals, a fellow student whilst skylarking about dropped John on his head one week before exams, and although it did not affect the results it may account for some of his peculiarities and peccadilloes!

Once these exams were completed in 1958 John was called up for 2 years' National Service even though he had flat feet! Everyone was an equal here and this gave John another form of education - working with people. National Service provided a major influence which today is probably lacking in society; of belonging to a group or an organisation which has a direction, a purpose, an aim.

Whilst doing National Service in the Army Legal Aid BADR John recounts that he went to East Berlin to purchase cheap gramophone records. He recalls it was so poverty stricken, desolate, eerie and frightening that he scarpered back to the West sector via Berlin's Underground as fast as he could.

Another incident which has left an indelible mark was that whilst travelling across the United States in 1962 from west to east his car, a Chevrolet, with air conditioning broke down irreparably halfway across. Did John ever get the whole way across is another story which you can ask next time you see him.

Now, after 35 years practising as a solicitor and reaching 60 years young, John's present ambitions are to reach the next millennium and to see his children through their education before he retires. Last year he has moved to Gaulby after living for over 30 years in Kibworth with his wife Diana, (who loves gardening and making wedding dresses for friends), their 3 children, 17 fish from Weir House and 2 long haired cats, now joined by a recently acquired Border collie puppy. As for his children. William aged 22 has obtained this summer a 2.1 in History at Warwick University but doesn't yet quite know what he wants to do, while Matthew (18) is completing his 'A' levels at Brooke House School in Market Harborough.and Alice (14) is in her fourth year studying at Leicester Grammar School.

He was once introduced to another John Frederick Tillotson who sent him after the meeting a portrait of Dr John Tillotson the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1691. Subsequently the former Rector of nearby Hallaton gave John a bound copy of Dr J Tillotson's sermons he being a good preacher. He plans to trace his ancestry when he has retired but for now John for relaxation likes to play golf at West Langton, listen to classical music, watch cricket and garden (all fairly quiet activities). He is unashamedly held in high esteem by the community not because he is a softly spoken, and an extremely personable gentleman but because of his integrity and sheer honest hard work for our community. Working for 18 years as a member of Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council ( Chairman 3 times), 7 years as Chairman of Market Harborough Citizens Advice Bureau, a Vice President and one of the Trustees of Kibworth Cricket Club, a Trustee of the Old Grammar School Hall , a clerk to the trustees of Kibworth's Old Controlled C of E School, member of Kibworth Business Association and a past President of Leicester law Society and Harborough Rotary Clubs are among a whole list of activities John has carried out, I am sure, diligently over the years. Long may he continue to be the quiet confident voice in our midst.

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