John ‘Rusty’ Philpott

ONE of Marlborough’s great characters John Philpott, known to one and all as “Rusty” who was well known for giving out sweets to everyone he knew has died aged 86 following a stroke.

Mr Philpott, who is survived by his son Wayne, had a minor stroke at his Kingsbury Terrace home in Marlborough a few months ago and died following another and more severe stroke last week.

He has been cremated at the North Wilts Crematorium at Royal Wootton Bassett and his son said there will be a service of thanksgiving for his life later when the current virus pandemic is over.

Mr Philpott was born in Marlborough and had one sister who died 11 years ago.

He worked for most of his life as a porter at Savernake Hospital when it was a fully functioning cottage hospital.

In retirement, particularly following the death of his wife Joan, Mr Philpott loved walking around the town centre greeting old friends with a wrapped peppermint and he always had a pocket full of treats for dogs.

He spent a lot of time wandering The Common just a few yards from his home and finding stray golf balls from erring Marlborough Golf Club players and from which he earned pocket money by selling them back or giving them to young golfers!

Following the death of his wife Mr Philpott could often be found sitting near her grave in the Frees Avenue cemetery and he loved chatting to old Marlborough friends who had lost loved ones.

Son Wayne said his father’s nickname “Rusty” was a bit of a mystery but contemporaneous friends had said it was because he had ginger hair as a boy.

Mr Philpott had been housebound for the past five years.