Roberts, Bill – major builder became village undertaker

Joseph William Roberts (1917-2009)

Bill Roberts, was born into a farming family at Sutton-cum-Granby. He attended school at Granby and Bottesford, where his talent for woodwork was formed.

He left school aged 14 and worked for a wheelwright and funeral director at Langar, later travelling to Nottingham, on his bike, as an apprentice joiner.

During this time he also took on jobs locally and decided to set up his own business when he was 20-years-old, starting out from a shed on the family farm.

He moved to Bottesford in 1937 using rented premises in the Red Lion yard.

He later moved to larger premises on the corner of High Street and Barkestone Lane, employing over 500 people, including 71 apprentices.

He then moved to his Devon Lane premises in the mid 1970s.

Mr Roberts was responsible for building Belvoir High School at Bottesford, Grantham Crematorium, and many council houses and petrol stations in the wider area.

In March 1940, he conducted his first funeral and carried on conducting funerals in and around the Vale of Belvoir and further afield until he was in his late 80s.

He married Joan who died in May 2007.

He was a member of the Institute of Master Builders and a founder member of the Vale of Belvoir Lions Club.

He enjoyed playing golf at Stoke Rochford, and holidays to Scarborough during cricket week.