Peter Dean Hyder (21 Sep 1933 - 12 Sep 2019)

In loving memory of Peter Dean Hyder who sadly passed away on 12th September 2019

Peter was born on the 21st September 1933 to William & Ellen Hyder.

Peter lived at 130 Cromwell Road Redhill with his mum and dad and younger sister Diana, throughout his childhood and for the first year of his married life to Sheila.

Here are some stories of Peter’s early childhood….

Peter had a lot of freedom to play, roam and explore and had no fear. From their house in Cromwell Road Redhill, he would go up to the top of Redhill common, over to Earlswood lakes and roam all over Redhill but always had to home by a certain time.

Peter had a great voice and went to Sunday School at the Redhill Congregation church where he joined the choir. When he was evacuated to Wales during the war he joined the local chapel choir and wore purple cassocks with white ruff collars.

When Peter was at Cromwell Road school he used to padlock himself to the desk….this resulted in him being given the nickname ‘Padlock Pete’.

Diana was at home, off school for some reason and it was pouring with rain. At Cromwell Road they had an outside toilet, their mother went out to the toilet and heard a noise. She found Peter soaking wet hiding under a shelter playing truant from school. He got a good telling off from both Mum & Dad. This however wasn’t the first time or the last as Peter got to know the truant officer Mr Shaw rather well, who ironically lived in Devon Road Merstham.

On another occasion Peter’s antics backfired when his mum went out to use the outside toilet and she got the shock of her life. What had Peter done? He’d put a hedgehog out there. She screamed loudly and absolutely flew at him….

When Peter was naughty he’d run to the bottom of the garden up over the fence, run along the railway line up the bank and over to the bridge at Linkfield Street. Diana has a very vivid memory of his mum chasing Peter over the fence and along the railway line, but she couldn’t catch him. Peter always had an escape route…

Peter would often go scrumping for apples and would sometimes get caught and brought home to his mother by the local bobby. However this never stopped him doing it again. He was always mischievous and quite often got into trouble like the time he was with his best mate Charlie and they made a fire on top of Lawrence’s Removal van so they could roast chestnuts. Mr Lawrence was furious.

At the Redhill Odeon or the Pavilion (Flee pit) Peter would pay sixpence to get in, he would then go to the back, open the side door and let all his friends in.

In 1944 when Peter was 10 he was evacuated to Blaenavon in Wales with his sister Diana who was 7. Peter had many fond memories of his time in Wales whilst staying with Mrs Davies, from singing in the local chapel choir to sliding down the slag heaps and roasting potatoes on fires from the waste coal.

Peter left school at 15 and his first job was at a garage in Reigate. His dad wasn’t too happy with this, so applied to the Windmill Press at Lower Kingswood and got him an apprenticeship.

When he was 16 or 17 he was interested in dancing, he bought a pair of black patent shoes, joined dance classes at Lakers in Redhill and learnt to dance. He then went to Reigate and the Court School of dance, he was an excellent dancer and Diana loved to watch him.

He joined a youth club in Merstham on the estate. He had lots of friends who on a Sunday morning would come over to Cromwell Road and they would sit and play Jazz records. Mum would make all these cakes and they’d all disappear.

Peter completed his apprenticeship at the Windmill Press and when he was 21 he did his National Service in the Royal Army Service Corps. During his National Service he was posted to Bielefeld in Germany which was close to where Paul was posted when he was in the RAF some years later.

He went on to work in London at Gee & Watson, South East London Typesetters and then Michael R Dalby Typesetters. He would often take the family up to the City for the Lord Mayors Show, sightseeing or shopping in Petticoat Lane Market. The bagels were ok, but we never got used to Jellied Eels.

With the decline in hot metal type he retrained as a paste up Compositor before moving to Surrey Fine Art Press in Redhill until redundancy at age 55.

Peter enjoyed his independence and had a love of motorbikes, you could say this is how he met and was attracted to Sheila.

Peter first met Sheila at the wedding of his sister Diana, who Peter had unwittingly played cupid in Diana meeting Lionel. Well Diana reciprocated the cupids arrow, Sheila was her bridesmaid and she told Peter to offer Sheila a lift home on his scooter after the party. Sheila accepted, hitched up her skirt and that was it, Peter was hooked. The relationship developed from there, and they were married on the 28th October 1961 at the Redhill Congregational Church, followed by the reception at The Golden Wheel at top Merstham.

Peter was an avid gardener as well as a DIY enthusiast and instilled this in the boys who aren’t afraid to try their hands at anything. He even organised a bricklaying course at Redhill Tech, however it was Paul who built the garden walls at Devon Road whilst Adrian mixed the cement and Peter just supervised.

Peter’s father built this beautiful red sledge it was the top of the range, big and heavy with metal runners. Peter then duplicated this for his own boys Paul and Adrian and used to take them sledging to the other side of Gatton where the M25 is now. They would sledge down the hill next to the fairy ring which is still there even now. Paul would always sit on the front with Peter on the back and Adrian sandwiched in between. On one occasion Adrian wanted to have a go at the front so they set off, about halfway down somehow Adrian fell off the front and the sledge with Paul and Peter still on went right over the top of him. When they got home Sheila was not impressed with Peter, Adrian had red marks down his back from the runners and had managed to bite his tongue which meant he couldn’t eat his Sunday lunch.

From the hardships of the war, rationing and life in Cromwell Road, Peter was always on the lookout for a bargain and getting something for nothing. Peter couldn’t resist a bargain in any supermarket, buy one get one free, 3 for the price of 2, discounts and multibuys and also a loyal Lidl shopper.

Sheila passed away on 23rd February 2001, which was a shock to Peter and the family. Peter found solace from his loss of Sheila by regular attendance here at All Saints’ Church as well as attending Lunch Club at Holy Trinity Church, this gave him a new lease of life and introduced new friends.

This was further enhanced when Debbie his daughter in-law and a friend who started up the Lunch Club here at All Saints’ Church in Canada Hall for Peter and the local community. Peter loved his food and would rave about lunch club it was always a date locked into his diary every month.

Peter remained at his Devon Road house until April 2009 when he moved a short distance across the road into the Flat in Deans Road. This move allowed Peter to enjoy his later years in comfort and warmth whilst still having his independence.

Peter’s health and mobility had deteriorated recently, however he was still able to live independently while supported at home with carers until his final move to Coppice Lea Care Home on the 10th May this year.

Peter & Sheila are survived by their two sons, Paul and Adrian, whom they loved dearly and also seven grandchildren, Ben, Ami, Sam, Joshua, Matthew, Thomas and Charlotte.

Peter will be remembered in many different ways by each and everyone of us.

Peter/Dad/Grandad/Uncle/Cousin & Friend is now at peace with his loving wife Sheila, mum and dad, god bless him.