Tributes to David Hill, former Pinchbeck and Lutton vicar, who died aged 88

Tributes have been paid to a well-respected vicar who has sadly died.

The Rev David Hill had played a huge part in the communities of Pinchbeck and Lutton after being the minister in those villages for some time.

Mr Hill (88) – who has been described as a ‘one off’ – had passed away in his sleep last Thursday night (January 5) at his home in Berkhamstead in Hertfordshire.

There will be service at South Lincs Crematorium for his family and later there will be a memorial for David and his wife Jane – who died during the pandemic – in Spalding Parish Church. Arrangements have still to be finalised but it is likely to be at 2pm on February 3.

Jane died in September 2020 and is survived by three children and 12 grandchildren.

Mr Hill was Vicar of St Nicholas, Lutton from 1968 to 1982 and while there he established a business (St Martin’s) to make church vestments, which he later sold.

He moved to be Vicar of Pinchbeck in 1982 and retired from there in 1999.

He and Jane lived in Welland Terrace in Spalding and David was active in his retirement, taking services in local churches.

Revd John Bennett, Vicar of Spalding, St Mary & St Nicolas, said: “David was lively, energetic and fizzing with ideas and always rode his bike around the town.

“He was principled and not afraid to speak up when he thought someone was not treating others as they should.”

Mr Hill had been a passionate cyclist and was a past president of cycle action group Pedals along with being a member of South Holland Singers.

Among those paying tribute is Pinchbeck Parish Council chairman James Avery. He said: “Mr Hill was the vicar of Pinchbeck for many years.

“He was always attentive and caring of his congregation, in the days when the number of church attendees seemed higher than today.

“Mr Hill had time for everybody, and my own personal interactions with him involved the baptism of both the Avery children, many years ago.”

Mr Hill had performed in the bass section of South Holland Singers.

Honorary secretary Jacqueline Kemp has also paid tribute to Mr Hill.

She said: “He was a lovely man and a big part of South Holland Singers, as was his wife Jane.

“He had been involved in the group for many years.”

Pedals was founded in 1983 to improve cycling facilities in Spalding - and Mr Hill had been supporting the aims from the start.

He also held the post of president for a number of years.

Current chairman David Jones described Mr Hill as a ‘one-off’.

He said: “David Hill was passionate about all the measures adopted in the Netherlands to make cycling more popular and convenient and safer.

“He was hoping to get a group together, ideally taking county councillors and officers, to go to the Netherlands and experience the quality of life for cyclists there. Unfortunately, this never happened.

“But that photo was instrumental in getting Spalding Cycle Action Group, as we then called ourselves, well and truly off the ground.

“He was very proud of his children and grandchildren, especially when their voices could be heard on BBC Radio. His son Matthew did numerous investigative reports on health matters on Radio 4.

“David sang in Spalding Millennium Singers, which was a one-off scratch choir, he sang regularly in the South Holland Singers and sometimes in Spalding Parish Church choir.

“And the offer of hospitality in the Hill household was always available to visitors from Speyer (Spalding’s twin town in Germany). It was often my job to organise hospitality for groups from Speyer, I was indebted to them.”