Page 137 - WHO'S WHO OF DUDLEY ROTARY

Public Service. In 2009 he and his wife Margaret published Czech and Mate, a book about their
remarkable life story.

455 Ernest James EVANS (1916-2003) (Rejoined 9.7.1973 having been a
member 1958 to 1962 - see #360; President 1977-78; left during 1995/96.)
Government - Administration. He was Unemployment Benefit Officer for
Dudley, but based at the Department of Employment, Crown House,
Wolverhampton, until retiring in 1980. His entire working career was with
the Ministry of Labour and its successor the Department of Employment,
starting as a ‘clerk’. He was born in Dudley, the son of a navvy, and apart
from some years in Tipton as a young man, lived in Dudley throughout his
life, for over 40 years in Gervase Drive.

456 Arthur Leonard (‘Len’) GLASSCOE (1931-2005) (Inducted 14.1.1974; but
left 8 or 9 months later.) Zoological Exhibitions. General Manager of
Dudley Zoo from 1971 or ’72 until autumn 1974 when he was replaced. He
was born in Paddington and lived close to London Zoo until 1967, then
moved to Loughborough not far from Twycross Zoo before coming to work
in Dudley, although his home was in Compton, Wolverhampton. He
eventually settled and died in South Africa near Durban.

457 Keith Albert MURRAY (1928- ) (Inducted 8.7.1974; left Nov.1977.) Wood Preserving. Managing
Director of Mercian Preservation Ltd of Cinder Bank, Netherton, specialists in damp proofing
and timber treatments to properties across the Midlands. He founded the firm in 1971 and
remains involved nearly 50 years later. He also ran a related company Keith Murray FRES and
Associates Ltd which operated 1984-2005. He was born in Southampton with the family name
Moses. After National Service with the Royal Artillery he settled in London and changed his
name from Moses to Murray shortly before marrying in 1954. Since moving to the Black Country
his home has been in the Stourbridge area.

458 John F HOLLIDAY (~1935 - ) (Inducted 1.4.1974; left Sept. 1976 on ‘transfer’.) National Health
Service. He was Clerk to the Dudley Health Executive Council, later renamed the Dudley Area
Health Authority, for 10 years from 1966. The organisation, based at Kelvin House, The
Broadway, Dudley, was responsible for administering ‘family practitioner services’ throughout
the borough. He had previously been Deputy Clerk of Leeds Health Executive Council. His home
was at Wombourne from 1968, but it is not known where his next job took him, although there
is some evidence he returned to Leeds.

459 Roy PEDLEY, JP (1927-2017) (Inducted 29.4.1974; President 1988-89; died
3.5.2017 whilst still a member.) Textile Goods Finishing (Synthetic Fibres).
Managing Director of Portways Limited of Sedgley Road East, Tipton,
producers of synthetic fibre fillings, coated fabrics and other upholstery
products. The company worked closely with Vono Limited, another
member of the Duport Group, whose products included mattresses, bed
overlays and divans. He left Portways in 1983 to start working from home
on his own account as Roy Pedley Associates, acting as an agent for the
import and wholesale of specialist fabrics. He was still doing this in a small
way well into his eighties. Roy was born in Congleton, Cheshire, the son of a tailor and having
an older brother who was also a tailor. However he started work as an engineering apprentice
and draughtsman with mining equipment manufacturers Cowlishaw Walker of Biddulph,
between Congleton and Stoke-on-Trent. Eleven years later he joined Selectus Ltd, also in