Obituary: Geoffrey Hurford - A fitting tribute to 'tailor of Salisbury'

From the Salisbury Journal, first published Friday 6th Jan 2006.

THE tailor of Salisbury', Geoffrey Hurford, has passed away, at the age of 84.

Mr Hurford, whose clients included bishops, generals, politicians and popstars, was known for sitting in the window of his Rollestone Street workshop, busy at his sewing machine.

For 50 years, he repaired and altered clothes in the trade, known as codging.

It was a long and remarkable career for a man who spent ten years in and out of hospital after contracting osteomyelitis inflammation of the bone and marrow.

At the age of 21, he chose to have his leg amputated and his family say he showed great bravery and strength to overcome his disability.

Mr Hurford's fascinating experiences were captured in an audio book and subsequent paperback called The Tailor Of Salisbury.

The cassette book was based on conversations that Mr Hurford had with producer Lindsay Fairgrieve and narrated by actor Martin Jarvis.

For those who bought the book, it was an interesting insight into the life of one of the sights' of Salisbury, and Mr Hurford said that people often stopped at his window and peered in.

He was also regularly photographed by students at Salisbury College and was well known across the city.

Mr Hurford was born in Damerham but, because of his illness, he was not allowed to be educated at the village school.

He learned his trade at a college for disabled students in Hampshire, after being encouraged to go into tailoring by his father.

His first job was working for a tailor called Mr Hillier, on Catherine Street, and he later worked at Larkhill, altering uniforms.

Mr Hurford met his wife, Rosemary, at the Salisbury War Workers' Club and they married in 1947.

The couple had four children, Tim, Jenny, Andrew and Gillian and five grandchildren, Matthew, Nicola, Abigail, Rosie and Florence.

After the war, Mr Hurford started working in Rollestone Street and was surprised when people stopped to watch him sew.

His business soon built up and he was kept busy shortening hems and sleeves, sewing zips, repairing garments and making buttonholes.

From top military officials to pop star Sting, a wide range of clients patronised Mr Hurford, who prided himself on quality.

He still used many of the old-fashioned machines, and his original scissors and shears, and he did much of his work by hand.

Mr Hurford continued to work in the job he loved until his death last Friday.

A date for his funeral has yet to be set.

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