David Clements

He was the son of Arthur Clements, a porter at Marlborough railway station and Dorothy Clements, one of a family of 17, originally from Ealing in London. He grew up with his two younger brothers, Chris and John, in a cottage, with part of his childhood spent amongst American troops posted to the munitions dump sited in the forest near where he lived.

He attended firstly the village school at Cadley followed by Marlborough Grammar School, then sited at what is now St Peter’s Junior School. Mr Clements attended a 60th anniversary school reunion with over half his former classmates and a former teacher, Mrs Moore.

Following school Mr Clements went to Lackham College of Agriculture, which led to him spending six years at Gales Honey Farm in London Road, Marlborough. He became an expert in bees and honey production and visited Father Adams at Buckfast Abbey to discuss the subject and also had explorer Ranulph Fiennes as a customer.

Mr Clements later had a published book called the Man and his Business. In Marlborough, with his then wife Gwendoline, he ran a corner shop in Kingsbury Street, ran a 24-hour taxi service, including driving members of the pop group Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mitch and Titch around at the height of their fame. He also drove coaches, taking Marlborough College pupils on trips to the seaside, was a driving instructor, drove HGVs and did school bus runs. He was also a very good car mechanic.

Amongst other talents he was an accomplished dancer at meetings at Marlborough Town Hall.

Mr Clements left Marlborough in 1972 to begin a new life in Hilperton as he had remarried, moving then to Alton in Hampshire, followed by a period living in Wales before ending up in the Forest of Dean.

Mr Clements was described as a gregarious, kind man who will be missed by all his family members. Anyone wishing to give in memory of Mr Clements’ life can do so at Luke@ernest-heal.co.uk