FAMILY and friends of a stalwart member of Malvern Rugby Football Club will be paying tribute to him at a funeral service on Thursday, January 11.

Harrison Evans died on December 18 at Worcestershire Royal Hospital at the age of 97.

A native Yorkshireman, Mr Evans was born in Bradford and went to the Titus Salt School in nearby Saltaire.

After school, he became a skilled workshop machinist and craftsman, and during the Second World War, he was directed by the government to report to the Telecommunications Research Establishment, which had moved from Swanage to Great Malvern in May 1942.

He was billeted at the Geraldine Staff Club off Pickersleigh Avenue, and worked in support of the establishments scientific laboratories at Malvern College.

Me Evans's friend John Barker, in a eulogy to be read at the funeral, said: "This was the start for Harry of a long association with the establishment. I know also that he served in the Home Guard whilst based at Malvern College because I have seen a nice picture taken in 1944 of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth when they visited the Establishment at Malvern College and there in the picture, standing smartly in uniform parading for this royal visit is Cpl Harry Evans.

"However, it was not through this valuable work that I was to get to know him post-war, it was through our mutual interest in Malvern Rugby Club. He was a longstanding playing member of the club from the time when the club, which had shut down for the war years, was reformed in 1946; Harry at that stage was 26 and he was the 1st XV hooker; I played rugby at the club from 1949 until I left the Malvern area in 1952 I was playing at the same time as Harry. I can report that these were successful years for Malvern Rugby Club!"

Mr Evans continued as a strong supporter of the club and was made honorary life member, one of a very select band of members.

Mr Evan was later appointed senior workshop instructor for the TRE apprentices, and by the end of his career at the establishment had become a Master Specifications Officer, responsible for maintaining the quality assurance standards of electronic components.

Mr Evans married his wife Muriel 1955, and the couple greatly enjoyed cruising, becoming gold-cabin regulars with P&O.