Saundersfoot’s Ian David Nicholls passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, August 13, aged 91 years.

Ian was born on March 1, 1929, the only son of Howard and Lal Nicholls, of Tenby. He was educated at Tenby Council School and Greenhill Grammar. In 1943, Ian took a summer holiday job as a temporary ‘boy messenger’ in the General Post Office, Tudor Square, Tenby, where his father worked as a postman for many years. This led to him associating with British and American troops who were stationed in and around Tenby during the war and this, along with the comparative freedom, was preferable to school discipline and study. He decided to leave school without any qualifications at the age of 14 to take up the offer of a permanent job as a telegram messenger.

In 1947, at the age of 18, Ian was called up for National Service and spent two-and-a-half years in the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) which he jocularly referred to as ‘Run Away Somebody’s Coming’. Demobbed in 1949, he resumed his position at Tenby Post Office and worked in various clerical and supervisory capacities.

In 1951, he met Joan and they were eventually engaged for three years until their marriage in September 1956 at St. Mary’s Church, Tenby. They first made a home in Trafalgar Road before moving into a new home on the Narberth Road where they had two children, Clive and Claire. They then moved to Picton Road where Joan ran a small guest house.

In 1969, Ian became Postmaster of the Sub Post Office in Saundersfoot and the family moved from Tenby to Bevelin Hall. During this time he became active in the National Federation of Sub Postmasters and was made an honorary member upon his retirement in 1992.

Ian was very involved in village life through the Saundersfoot Festivities Committee and in 1976 was one of the founder members of the Rotary Club of Saundersfoot. He was a member for 44 years, including three terms as the club president. In June this year, he was awarded the District Governor award for outstanding service. He truly practised the club motto ‘Service Above Self’. Ian was particularly fond of organising and running charity quiz nights for the Rotary Club and for the Tenby Museum which raised thousands of pounds for charitable causes and were always entertaining and lighthearted.

As a young man, Ian played soccer in the Army, and then on his return home he joined the Tenby Rovers soccer team and later captained the side. In his late 20s he ‘converted’ to rugby and played on the wing for Tenby United for four seasons. He later joined Tenby Golf Club and was elected club captain in 1972. He was also club president for three years in the 1990s. In his later years, he was also a keen member of Saundersfoot Bowling Club.

A gifted pianist, he played the organ at the age of 14 for Sunday services at the old Presbyterian Chapel in Frog Street where his grandfather was a preacher. Later in 1950s he used his musical talent to earn money playing piano in a small band at the Belgrave Hotel with his good friends Thomas Osborne and Harry Garrard on drums and guitar. He enjoyed playing both piano and the electric organ well into his 80s.

Following the death of his parents, Ian inherited a large number of photographs of deceased Tenby people, many without the names of those depicted. Researching the lives of so many local characters became a retirement hobby. For 15 years he contributed a regular feature in the monthly ‘Tenby Times’ called ‘Remembered Faces’. Also, as part of the town’s social history, he made recordings of conversations he had arranged with elderly Tenby people. These are now stored at Tenby Museum.

In recent years, Ian recalled his personal memories of WW2, speaking at local clubs and societies and writing for local publications. He was an entertaining public speaker and was able to paint a fascinating picture of life in Tenby during the early 1940s. During this time he made lasting friendships with the American GI servicemen from the 28th Infantry division which lasted for over 60 years and later involved reciprocal visits to their homes in Texas.

Ian led a long and rich life with many friends and interests. He will be remembered by many as a natural storyteller with a wry sense of humour who was never happier than when recounting a tale in company of others. He was a true gentleman who put community spirit at the heart of all he did.

In addition to his loving wife Joan, Ian is survived by his son Clive, daughter Claire and his grandchildren Danny, Emily, George, Elise and Nicholas.

Donations in memory of Ian, if so desired, for Paul Sartori Foundation and Cancer Research (Saundersfoot Branch) may be sent c/o E. C. Thomas and Son, Funeral Directors, Zoar Chapel Funeral Home, Llanteg, SA67 8QH, who conducted the funeral arrangements.