Brian Alfred Joseph Hatton

In memory of

Brian (Dad or Grandad) was born in 1929, the only child of Francis Alfred and Irene Doris Hatton (née Cannon) in Chislehurst. He grew up during the war and met the love of his life, Freda Victoria Martin, at the local Church youth group aged 16. He attended Beckenham School of Art and trained as a draughtsman and technical illustrator. He served his National Service in the Royal Tank Regiment at Bovington Camp in Wiltshire in 1947-48 where he was a tank driver and motorcycle rider in the Royal Armoured Corps motorcycle display team. He treasured his regimental beret for the rest of his life.

After his service, he joined the Civil Service as an illustrator. He married Freda on 4 August 1954. They bought the house that was to become his lifelong home in 1957. They had four children: Deborah Margaret (1958), Trevor Martin (1960), Ian Francis (1962) and Josephine Anne (1965).

He had a long and distinguished career as a technical illustrator, first for the Motor magazine where he often produced the highly detailed artwork for "cutaway" drawings of cars old and new. In the days before digital technology these were all drawn meticulously by hand. Today, his work is highly collectable. He was promoted to the position of Studio Manager for IPC Transport Press in 1974. He was also a prolific writer and journalist. He retired in 1986 and started a second career as a freelance artist and illustrator.

His wife, Freda, formerly Headmistress of Farrington's School in Chislehurst, passed away in 1990. He remained a widower for the rest of his life.

He was fascinated by machinery his whole life and was a serial restorer of vintage motorcycles, owning a stable of bikes that included Sunbeams, Douglas, Triumphs, Victoria and an Aero Morgan. He was an active member of the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club, taking part in the annual London to Brighton "Pioneer Run" for over 25 years.

He continued to paint and draw for the rest of his life, frequently making gifts of his artwork to his children. He helped young, aspiring illustrators by becoming the moderator of the examination board for Redruth and Cambourne College in Cornwall.

He was a generous, loving, patient, kind, practical (he could fix anything and often did) funny, sociable, convivial and scrupulously polite man. He passed away at his lifelong home on 7 September 2021 peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his children. He is mourned by his four children and twelve grandchildren, whose assessment of their Grandad ranges from "a proper gentleman", "a lovely man", "a legend" to "a top bloke".

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