Bryan Smith Dowse died peacefully at home on May 20, 2015, aged 76, following long-term ill-health. He was born in Potterne in 1939, an only child of Tom and Mabel.

Mr Dowse attended schools in Potterne and Devizes. Leaving at the age of 14, he began work at A’Beckets Farm in West Lavington and on becoming 17, he followed his father and began to work at Roundway Hospital as a lorry driver. Thus began his love of driving, particularly lorries and coaches.

His lifelong interest in the sport of boxing started when he was a young boy in the Army Cadets but he had to give it up, due to health problems which also prevented him doing National Service, which he regretted in later life. He did not box after the age of 18 but kept up a very lively interest in it all his life and was for a time president of Malmesbury Boxing Club.

He met his wife Carol who was also working at the hospital, when he was 19 and she was 16 and, following a six-year courtship, they were married at St James Church in April 1966. By this time he was working in the social club at Roundway and they commenced married life in caravan accommodation provided for them by the club.

Thus began his long career in the pub trade, variously holding tenancies at the New Inn at Coate, the Fox and Hounds for many years and latterly at the Bell by the Green and lastly the White Bear in Devizes. In addition, he was gainfully employed by various companies driving lorries and coaches during the day, too.

In 1998 he discovered the world of the Freemason and grasped it with an incredible enthusiasm and passion. At one time he was a member of no less than 11 Masonic Lodges in the county including six in Devizes where he successively became master of four of them.

Unfortunately he suffered a very bad accident in November 2011 at the White Bear and his health then deteriorated over the last three and a half years of his life. Despite this adversity, he showed great determination and spirit and even with countless visits to hospital he refused to give up without a fight.

He was cremated at West Wiltshire Crematorium on Monday, June 8; a memorial service was held later the same day at St Johns Church, Devizes which was full to capacity with family and friends. A wake followed at the Conservative Club.