Tributes paid to pillar of East Preston community

Chris Roberts passed away after a brief illness unrelated to Covid-19 in the early hours of June 22 aged 80, hours after his good friend and fellow pillar of the community Doug Medhurst.

A former chairman of East Preston Parish Council, Chris was also chief marshal for the East Preston Festival.

He would often be seen biking around in a distinctive red boiler suit to make sure the carnival parade went smoothly.

Among those to pay tribute to Chris was Kerry Frost, chairman of the festival committee. She said: “Chris contributed so much, not only to East Preston but to the many clubs to which he was affiliated.

“His contribution to the festival over so many years is evidence of his passion for the village.

“The procession will not be quite the same without him.”

According to his daughter Amanda, Chris was born in Jorhat, Assam, India, on October 25, 1939, as his father was a scientist working on a tea plantation there.

He came to England aged seven to go to school and then went on to naval college, graduating in 1957 and sailing the seven seas. “I think all things maritime defined his life, he loved the sea and shipping,” Amanda said.

Chris started his career with the New Zealand Shipping Company, and met his future wife Wendy in 1961 on the passenger liner RMS Rangitoto on a trip from Auckland to Southampton.

They got married on September 15, 1962, and had Amanda and a son, Jon, before moving to Vicarage Lane in East Preston.

Through his career in commercial shipping, such as cargo and gas, with NZSco and then P&O until 1985, Chris and his family visited New Zealand, the Arabian Gulf, Japan, and India.

From 1987, Chris captained one of the Marine Society’s training ships, The Earl of Romney, with highlights including hosting guests for Cowes Week and teaching young people about life at sea.

When not away for work, Chris got involved with village life, being a founding member of the Angmering Chorale and part of the East Preston Twinning Association, which was linked to Brou in France.

Chris was neighbours with Doug Medhurst, and the two families and their children became close.

Amanda recalled her father’s ‘playful’ nature when she was young: “He played the bugle and used to play a call from the upstairs window to get us home from Langmeads Field when we were playing as kids – something we found insanely embarassing.

“He was in fact quite musical and also played the clarinet and bango. He was also a good teacher, seeing details in everything that made learning a pleasure.”

Chris was a member of the East Preston Festival committee for 37 years, and followed Doug in becoming chairman of East Preston Parish Council.

“Chris played an active part in the village from the early 1970s onwards,” said current chairman Steve Toney.

He added that he was a ‘solid member’ of the festival committee, ‘annually ensuring the success of the carnival procession as the crowning glory of the festival’, and ‘worked tirelessly for the Littlehampton Sea Cadets’.

Amanda said her father only recently stepped down from being head of the sea cadets group, and ‘was active in raising funds for a new jetty’.

After retiring in 2004, Chris participated even more in village life. An avid boules player, he also competed in the East Preston Boules Festival.

Chris was also a proud grandfather to Jon’s twins, Ben and Jack, now 22, and Amanda’s children Jessica, 21, and Angus, 19. A celebration of his life is set to be held later this year, lockdown measures permitting. 
“We are overwhelmed by the support and wonderful friends dad has,” Amanda said.