Family tributes to great-grandfather who died in Honiley crash - The Solihull Observer

Family tributes to great-grandfather who died in Honiley crash

Solihull Editorial 17th Jul, 2015 Updated: 21st Oct, 2016   0

TRIBUTES have been paid to a keen cyclist and much-loved great-grandfather Reginald Elliott who died in a collision with a car on the A4177 in Honiley last month.

The 81-year-old, from Knowle, tragically passed away at the scene of the incident outside the Honiley Court Hotel on June 27 which involved a Volkswagen Golf.

He was pronounced dead at the scene despite the best efforts from the emergency services.

Mr Elliott, known as Reg to his friends was a loved member of a number of cycle groups in Leamington, Birmingham and Solihull including Cyclists Touring Club and Cycle Solihull.




His daughter Mandy spoke of how he had been a very keen cyclist for nearly 40 years, who up until recently had a personal annual mileage target of 10,000 miles.

Over the years he volunteered to help less experienced cyclists gain confidence on their bikes, through projects like Cycle Solihull and for the last eight years, he single handedly organized Saturday Stretcher Rides and this group had built up stamina enough for rides of around 35 miles a time.


Mr Elliot leaves behind his wife Sheila Elliott, two daughters Wendy and Mandy and a son Russell, as well as five grandchildren Chloe, Hannah, Fergus, Felix and Gwydion as well as one great-grandchild Orla.

Before retiring, he worked as a Production Manager at Automotive Products in Leamington.

In earlier life he had driven HGVs for the RAF, ran greengrocers shops, and was involved in Wellesbourne Market.

He had a keen interest in photography and a love of the environment and of nature.

He had also studied for a degree in environmental science alongside his daughter at Warwick University, whilst his son studied the same subject in Scotland.

Mr Elliot was buried at his chosen final resting place, Westall Park Natural Burial Ground in Redditch.

‘Reg’s Last Ride’ left his home with a group of around 35 cyclists escorting the open air hearse who followed a route which he regularly cycled along the country lanes, to arrive at the Nevill Arms, New End.

There Mr Elliot’s coffin was transferred to a simple wooden cart, drawn by two shire horses; just like the ones he had worked with on a farm in Devon, in his youth.

The cart led the 1.5 mile procession to the burial ground with his family walking behind, behind them a group of 70 to 80 cyclists in their variously coloured club shirts.

The family requested no florist flowers at the funeral and instead collected donations for hsi favourite charity Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and so about £700 has been raised.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision or anyone who saw either Reginald riding his bike, or the Volkswagen Golf prior to the collision.

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 137 of Saturday, June 27.

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