AN ANDOVER woman has received the Freedom of Andover Award on behalf of her late father who worked for more than seven decades in the town. 

Alec Holloway was the proprietor of Squires' at 19 Bridge Street, where he worked from 1947 until his retirement in 2018. 

Following a spell in hospital, Alec was in palliative care at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice, where he sadly died on February 12, 2021 at the age of 95.

READ MORE: Tributes paid to Andover Squires' shopkeeper Alec Holloway

After numerous challenges including hospitalisation and Covid-19, his daughter Felicity Holloway was recently finally able to receive the Freedom of Andover Award on his behalf.

The award was presented to Felicity by the Mayor and Mayoress of Andover, councillors David and Jo Coole.

Reflecting on fond memories with her father, Felicity said: “Daddy was very fond of his pipe and I can still picture him down by his shed lighting his pipe like a little Billy Bonfire, smoking his favourite brand, Balkan Sombrani. Like many others, he started smoking during World War Two, but finally gave up in 1991. Daddy was a bomber pilot during the War and I still have his pilot’s books.

“Daddy was based in Harrogate for a long time before moving to another posting near Andover. He was asked by his Commanding Officer to represent the RAF at the Newbury Mayor’s Ball, where he met his future wife, my Mother. At future Andover Mayor’s Balls in the Guildhall, I was allowed to stay at the White Hart Hotel, so I got to have a wonderful time at the White Hart, while Mummy and Daddy were having a great time at the Mayor’s Ball.”

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She continued: “My grandfather on my mother’s side was a radio dealer and because Daddy enjoyed communications, he went to work with him when he left the RAF in 1947 and stayed in the business for 71 years. He also put himself through night school and gained the qualifications of AIPRE, Associate Institute of Professional Radio Engineers, and became a member of the STRE, Society of Television and Radio Engineers. At one time, we had three shops in Andover.

“Daddy finally closed the last shop, Squires Electrical, in 2018. He was a member of the Andover Rotary Club for sixty years, and also a member of the Andover Round Table and later, the Andover 41.

“When Daddy learned he was getting the Freedom of Andover Award, he was very proud he had been considered. It is just really sad that he was unable to receive the Award himself because of him being taken into hospital and then Covid-19 stopped anyone being able to visit him.”