Early Life
William Edward Thomas Dallimore, known as Will, was born on 8th September 1949, the fourth child of George and Myrtle Dallimore. His mother was supposed to have given birth at Evesham Maternity Hospital, but he was actually born in the car at the gates. The hospital’s address is Waterside, as it is by the River Avon. Was it a sense of humour on his parents’ part that gave him three forenames, the initials of which spelt WET?!
Will’s siblings were Marion, Georgina and George and later Angela and John. Will spent the first few months of his life at Ivy Cottage, Aldington, until the family moved to a new Council home at Horsebridge Avenue. This was to be his home for the rest of his life, together with younger brother, John.
Will attended Badsey County Primary School (as it was then known, now Badsey First School) and Blackminster Secondary Modern. He was a good all round scholar and was always in the top stream. The late Pat Goldstraw, who was his first teacher at Badsey, remembered him as a shy little boy – dressed very smartly in grey shorts, white shirt and tie – who wouldn’t say boo to a goose. She was amazed and delighted when, in later life, her pupil produced wonderful films which made people laugh.
Working Life
Will left school in 1965 and followed his brother to work for Evesham Rural District Council. He gained his City and Guilds in plumbing and central heating. He was good at what he did and very happy. He left the Council in 1973 and worked for Stewards the builders in Broadway and then Burlinghams Building Supplies.
In 1983 Will joined John and George at Huxleys Builders in Astwood Bank where he had to learn work as a painter and decorator. He struggled to adapt to his new trade but his two siblings soon knocked him into shape. They worked mainly in public houses in and around Birmingham. Sadly the company went into liquidation in 1987. Will then joined John in his decorating business and stayed with him up until he retired. To live together and work together without ever falling out is a remarkable achievement in itself.
In 1988 Will spent six months at Long Lartin maximum security upgrading the plumbing system. We are told that the graffiti on the inside of cell 144 reads, “Will Dallimore was here” and “Up the Badsey Rangers”.
Links with the Media
In Will’s many adventures, brother John was always included – whether he liked it or not. For many years Will would supply questions and answers for quizzes on BBC Hereford and Worcester radio. Will and John were affectionately known as “The Evesham Dallimores”.
Will even organised a 10th anniversary celebration party for the film detectives , a group of amateur film makers, and invited presenters and listeners along. It was really well attended, and of course John ended up paying for it!
For the last year of his life, Will and John participated in a quiz on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire radio. They were known as “The Brothers Badsey”. Will discovered an early morning quiz which was broadcast at 6.15 am and then repeated mid afternoon. Will would have John running round searching for the answers and then ring in on the afternoon show – of course, he got all the questions right! As big brothers do, Will took all the credit. Will was very popular with the radio presenters who must have been really impressed with Will’s outstanding knowledge across such a wide range of subjects.
The afternoon show is presented by a bubbly young lady named Trish Adudu. Will even wrote some of the jingles for her show. She invited him to take part in the BBC Radio 2023 Christmas pantomime playing the part of ‘Brother Badsey’. Will was unsure about playing the part as it included marriage and spending money. But he did it. His small part may be heard on BBC Sounds, “The Princess and the Ick”.
Back in 2002 Will spotted online that a television company was looking for someone silly enough to sit in a bath full of custard for several hours. Without hesitation Will emailed them back and put brother John’s name forward to do it, of course without telling him. The TV company rang and thanked John for his participation and also asked Will if he had any ideas for short comedy sketches with a custard theme. Within an hour Will had written four pages of ideas. What should have been 60 seconds of fame for brother John sitting in a bath of cold custard, ended up being half the programme. Will and John were known from then on as the “Custard Brothers”.
Music
Music played a huge part in Will’s life. He spent hours listening to music ranging from Flanagan and Allen to Kylie Minoghue.
He learnt to play the guitar in his late teens and in the early 70s had music lessons for three years, taught by a lady who lived in Badsey. In Will’s own words, ”I think the only reason she kept on coming back up here was to have a play on my organ”. Of course he was referring to his prized Yamaha electric organ.
In the 1980s Will joined a local group called “The Capris” playing bass guitar but he didn’t really enjoy the rock and roll lifestyle. He later joined his brothers John and George and Linda Core in a group called “Mix and Max”. They toured locally and entertained residents in care homes and nursing homes.
Whilst decorating at a friend’s house Will spotted a ukulele lying on a chair, not knowing that his friend could play it. A few days later Will turned up with his own ukulele and joined the Harvington Ukele Group who called themselves “The Huggers” – a clever use of the first letter of the three words “Harvington Ukelele Group”. Will was hoping to start a Badsey ukulele group but decided the name “The Buggers” might cause offence. An offshoot of the ukulele group was a group called “The Cordites”. Will loved being in both groups and over the years has put a smile on the faces of hundreds of people who had little to smile about.
Film-making
Besides his music, Will absolutely loved making films. He bought his first cine camera in 1970 and made short films for over 50 years. Will would write the script, film it, produce and edit it. He started by making family holiday films and created a super hero character called “Rain Mac Man”. The first epic entitled “Rain Mac Man conquers the world” was filmed north of that movie moguls’ tinsel town of Hollywood in a town called Bognor Regis.
Will and John joined the Evesham Movie Makers, a very talented and friendly group producing some fine club films. Will was Chairman of the club for a number of years. When the club folded they joined the Tewkesbury Movie Makers where Will was also Chairman for many years. In 2014 Will’s film, “The Santa Special”, won the inter-club film makers’ award. This was one of a series of films that were used to promote Elizabeth and Ralph Bolland’s Christmas Santa special evenings which over the years have raised thousands of pounds for the church, local scouts and a host of worthy local charities.
Will was an authority on Asum Grammar, the name for the Evesham dialect. He was once interviewed by the late Terry Wogan who was touring Britain in a black taxi driven by a very endearing cheeky Cockney. He met his match when he met Will. I think Terry Wogan must have left wondering what planet he had arrived on.
In 2013, Alistair McGowan visited Badsey when he was involved in making a series of film pieces for BBC1’s “The One Show” exploring local and regional dialects and accents. Having been brought up in the area and attended school in Badsey, it was obvious that he would want to explore his native area. Will had recently made a film called “A Journey through Asum Grammar”. Written and performed by Will, it starred Doug Deep who roamed the Vale of Evesham on a two-tine fork in his quest to educate the villagers in the art of Asum Grammar. Alistair met up with Will and John when they were decorating at Badsey Manor (home of Richard Phillips).
In 2020 at the height of the Covid pandemic, Will made 16 ten-minute back garden films. He would film on a Wednesday, edit on Thursday and then post them online on the Friday. The films included being shot from a cannon, tight-rope walking, Lion Taming and defusing a bomb. Nothing too dangerous then!
Can you see the common thread throughput this? Will loved giving his time to make people smile.
In 2024 Will produced his very last film, based on the TV character Father Brown. It was filmed in this church as its main location.
Football
Local football played an important part in Will’s life. Back in 1964 he played for Broadway Juniors. Those were the days when you were notified by telegram if you were in the team for Saturday.
In 1969 with his brother George he started up Badsey United Football club to give local footballers a chance to play in their village team. The club ran for many years.
In 1980 Will was captain of Childswickham Football Club and played in the Cheltenham League. This was a rough and ready team – the players resembled the characters from the Bash Street Kids! Home games were played at Murcot. The ground happened to be a cornfield and if you did a sliding tackle you would end up in the adjoining field.
Will managed Belvale Football Club set up and sponsored by Bells’ bacon factory in Evesham. He became disillusioned when the owners insisted that the team must consist of 50 per cent Bells’ employees, the majority of whom didn’t know a football from a pork scratching.
Will was also a qualified and much respected football referee.
The Badsey Society
Of course, one of Will’s main interests in the last two decades or so of his life was The Badsey Society, of which he was a founder member, subsequently Chairman for five years and latterly Treasurer for two years. He was one of the original Badsey website group when it was set up in 2000 and, for a few years, he then set up www.badsey.org.uk – a community website. He used his movie-making talents for making the Society’s DVD, “The Market Gardener” film, and was also involved with the Society’s previous films. At the Sladden Evening presentations performed as part of our World War I project, he played the part of the Narrator.
Both Will and John were indispensable over the years doing all the heavy work at the Flower Show and exhibitions – looking after the gazebo and exhibition boards. They were keepers of The Badsey Society’s growing collection of market gardening tools and offered to build a shed in their back garden to house all the tools. This was officially opened at the end of the midsummer walk in 2016. They had worked overtime the day before to ensure the new shed, called “The Drill Hall”, was ready.
Other Commitments
Will had a finger in many other pies in the village and was always willing to step up when he saw a need, as he did when he offered to be The Badsey Society’s Treasurer. When the parish newsletter, Community News, needed a new Editor, he volunteered, a job which he did admirably for five years, introducing a new design and new contributors. It’s not always easy to fill these roles, so we are very grateful that Will was always willing “to give it a go”.
Will was an integral part of the Wednesday morning church gardening group which meet at the church at 10 am, do a bit of gardening, have a real good laugh and put the world to rights. A lasting memory of Will was of him wandering round the church with a pink feather duster removing cobwebs and dear old Linda Core in her wheelchair roaring with laughter.
Will enjoyed writing poetry. One poem he wrote was about the inhabitants of Horsebridge Avenue. At Badsey Flower Show, Will presented the Will Dallimore literature cup – the subject matter each year was more often than not to be written in verse.
Will and John looked after their old Mum until she died and then continued looking after each other. They looked after Linda Core in her life and in particular her latter years. She was never a burden – just a dear friend who needed a hand. It’s fair to say that the brothers Badsey have been friends to many.
Final Illness
When Will first became poorly in the summer of 2024, he was admitted to Worcester Royal Hospital. He was the life and soul of the ward. The nurses loved him and gave him fantastic care. When told that his platelets were dangerously low and they had to be increased, Will’s reply to the consultant was: “That’s not a problem, I’ll get John to bring some in for me when he comes tomorrow.” Rumour has it that he occupied his time in hospital by writing poems about Dracula!
Will had nothing to say but praise for the fantastic treatment he received in hospital. He really enjoyed the hospital food and ate everything that was put in front of him. One day, the elderly gentleman in the bed opposite Will passed away in the early hours of the morning. Will’s response was, “That’s a shame, if he’s already ordered his lunch, I’ll eat it.”
Will thought it was shocking having to pay for car parking whilst attending hospital. To get round having to pay, he would get John to drop him off at the main entrance, park the car off site for free, walk back and sit with him whilst he received his treatment, then walk back, pick up the car and then collect him from the main entrance. This was two or three times a week for months. Poor John! He walked the equivalent of a marathon each week but he took it all in his stride. As we all know, John would do anything and everything for his big brother.
We will remember him
Will, though very tired, remained philosophical and smiling to the end. He died peacefully at home on 27th December 2024. Will’s funeral took place at St James’ Church, Badsey, on 21st January 2025, his body being brought into the church to the accompaniment of “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother”, by The Hollies. Brian Smith read a poem which he had written: “A Will to make us Smile”. The bible readings – “A time to be born, and a time to die …” (Ecclesiastes), “Come unto me, all you that are weary …” (Matthew 11, 28-30) and “I have fought the good fight …” (2 Timothy 4, 7-8) – were very apposite. The hymns were uplifting – Will enjoyed a good sing-song – and the recessional music was “Wanderer” by Flanagan & Allen.
As Graham McCombie said in the eulogy at Will’s funeral:
Finally, although we have lost a brother, and a great friend, let’s remember that Will had probably reached his limits in life. He passed away in the home that he loved and in the company of his brother, John. Will couldn’t have written a better ending. It was exactly how he would have wanted. Please join me to thank John for the exceptional way he has looked after our dear friend Will.
It was a funeral service of which Will would have been pleased. As so many people have commented, he was a one-off, a real village character. Badsey is the poorer for his passing.
John Dallimore, Graham McCombie, Maureen Spinks
February 2025
Postscript – At The Badsey Society’s AGM on Friday 7th February 2025, Will was posthumously awarded the Tony Jerram Award, jointly with brother, John.