A FAMILIAR face in the Buttermarket for more than 40 years, Bill 'Fishy' Benjamin has died, aged 82, in the County Hospital, writes PHILIPPA MAY.

Customers were as familiar with his voice as they were with his face. Bill was renowned for his yodelling and regarded the Buttermarket as his personal concert platform.

A favourite farewell was, "I'm off to the Albert Hall."

Bill was no stranger to hard work, getting up at the crack of dawn to collect fish from the trains before pushing his barrow up to the Buttermarket. He believed in the value of hard work ... and the reward of a drink at the end of a long day.

In fact, for the first 20 years of his married life he went to the pub every night, and if there was any kind of knees-up, says his daughter Julie: "Mum and Dad would always be the first on the dance floor."

Bill came to Hereford almost by accident, his family having been evacuated from Stockton-on-Tees during the war.

Demobbed

When Billy was demobbed he followed his family, meeting and marrying his wife Nora, eventually taking over his father's fish stall in the 1960s.

Though not a native of the city, he was soon a staunch Hereford United supporter and became their treasurer during their days in the Second Division.

In his younger days, he also played, turning out regularly for Ewyas Harold.

Bill's wife Nora died eight years ago. He leaves three children, Gary, Brian and Julie, sisters Stella and Myra, brother Kenny, ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Fittingly the reception following the funeral will take place at The Salmon, Billy's favourite pub.

The funeral takes place on Monday December 15 at St James's Church at 12.45pm. Family flowers only are requested. Donations may be sent to St Michael's Hospice.