Roy Moss ESQ. B.V.Sc.MRCVS

Diploma in Government Administration. (DGA)

Roy was born on 11th January 1928 in London. It was not long before the family moved up to Birstall in Leicestershire. Roy was an only child. He attended Wyggeston Grammar School and left when he was seventeen to go to Liverpool University, where he studied veterinary science. Whilst at university he met his wife-to-be Liz at a dance. He told her on their first date that he was going to marry her, which he did in 1951.

After graduating from university in July 1950 he worked for a private practice in Lancashire til 1954. From 1954 to 1978 he was a member of the State of Veterinary Service of Great Britain. For the last four years, as Assistant Chief Veterinary Officer, during which time he was responsible for advice to Ministers on policy relating to animal welfare, import and export of livestock, semen and embryos, control of Artificial Insemination and embryo transfer, control of tuberculosis and brucellosis and control of equine diseases. From 1979 to 1984 he was Veterinary Assessor to the Farm Animal Welfare Council and Government advisory body. From 1984 to 1988 he was UK Member on and latterly Second Vice Chairman of the Council of Europe Standing Committee for the convention on the keeping of Animals for Farming Purposes. He was also the editor of two books, The Laying Hen and its Environment and Transport of Animals intended for Breeding Production and Slaughter. He was the author of numerous papers on governmental aspects of animal welfare, and the international movement of livestock.

Roy was very interested in music. He was a competent pianist, which I found out by accident one day when I called on him and I could hear Scot Joplin’s The Entertainer being played. After he came to the door I remarked on the piano being played to which he invited me in to an impromptu recital of some ragtime music. He could play classical, jazz and blues. He could also play the guitar and harmonica. He was a good singer and soon joined the Brookland singers when he moved to Appledore in Kent.

It was not until he came to live at Appledore that he was to start a new chapter in his life and become a bell ringer. It was in the summer of 1986 when he and a few other local inhabitants learnt to handle a bell. It was rather an uphill struggle for all of them because at this particular time the bells at Appledore had not got a regular band. He stuck with the learning and after some little time the bells at Appledore rang out again for worship. It was about a couple of years later when the then captain moved across the border into Sussex and Roy took on the challenge of captaincy. Roy was not one of the most diplomatic captains in the tower and often said what he thought, which did offend one or two people. In those days the ringing at Appledore was on the ground floor and people entering the church did so by the west door, walking through the ringers. Not one of the safest entries to the church. When the ringing ceased the choir then entered via the west door and processed through the church. One particular wet day the choir got rather impatient and wet, opened the door to gain entry before the bells had finished. Roy called "Stand." he then opened the door and "politely" told the choir to "Shove Off!" and then closed the door. The door then reopened with the remark from the Choir Mistress, "Shove off yourself!" (Shove is not the correct word used but it did start with an S.) Thankfully it all ended happily and things carried on as if nothing had happened.

I think Roy was one of the instigators to get the ringing moved upstairs, as he could see the dangers involved with the congregation walking through the ringers. This was a good move safety-wise, but unfortunately ringing upstairs in the summer without an opening window and no other ventilation was a little uncomfortable. His first quarter peal was for the induction of a new Vicar, early evening in the summer and the sun had been shining through the windows most of the afternoon. He took the tenor to, what I think was some Doubles. (I should know I was in it!) He was dressed for church but after the quarter looked more like a drowned rat than a smartly dressed gentleman attending church! Now there are some windows that open!

Roy remained captain right up until Fred and Gill Pearson moved into the neighbouring village. He handed over the reins to Fred in about 2002 but still attended practice and rang for services regularly. Roy’s health began to deteriorate slowly and he found ringing more and more difficult, but still came as and when he could. His health got worse after he lost his devoted wife Liz in 2007 but he was determined to stay in his house in Appledore, which he did, but occasionally visiting a rest home in Wye for a break. He was a member of the Medical Guild of Ringers and in May of this year the Guild were visiting Kent and one of the churches was Wye. It was the intention to get him to the church to listen to the bells and meet some friends. This was not to be. He was admitted to the William Harvey Hospital a few days before where he died on 18th May.

Roy will be sadly missed in the village for his bowls, his singing, his ringing, his daily visit to the shop for his paper, his trips to the Black Lion for his fish and chips and no peas. He will be missed by his family, to whom our thoughts go out at this sad time.

I must say thank you to his daughter, Jane, for allowing me to use some of her account of his early life.

It was a pleasure knowing you Roy, God bless you and may you rest in peace.

Frank Wenham