They say that no one is indispensable but for many years, we, who lived in Tylers Green and Penn would have fared very badly without Sam Taylor. For about 40 years he and his van were an institution in the village and his figure was familiar to every household. He was dark and of medium height, with shrewd brown eyes that missed nothing and a beard that in his latter years was changing from iron grey to white. Those who have come to live here recently perhaps do not realize how isolated this village was. There were no buses and only one or two private cars. It was a long way to walk to Wycombe and back carrying a heavy basket, so Sam Taylor did “the shopping”.

Scrupulously honest, he was entrusted with every kind of message, and his many orders were carefully executed and duly delivered on his return in the evening.

He and his wife lived first at Upper Coppice Farm in Hazlemere Road. Afterwards they had rooms in the Bell Inn on the Common and about 11 years ago they bought the house in St John’s Road. By that time he had changed his horse and van for a motor.

In March 1926 Mr and Mrs Taylor celebrated their Golden Wedding. They had a special service of their own choosing in Church and sat hand in hand at the Chancel steps. For some time previously Mrs T had been collecting pennies, so that on this happy occasion she might have plenty to distribute to all the children she chanced to meet. She died in March 1933 and for some years previously had been in very bad health. Besides his job, Taylor took on the nursing, cooking and housework, it was his proud boast that he could look after a house as well as anyone.

He suffered with his heart and the combined work was too much for him and he gave up the business. A year or so after his wife’s death he went to live at Fulham with his daughter. A Londoner by birth, he went back there to die; but his heart was in Tylers Green and he longed to return. He died in September, just a year after he had left and his body was brought back and laid beside that of his wife in Tylers Green Churchyard on Tuesday, October 1st.

Those of us who saw him tending his wife during the years when she was so ill, knew of his patience and gentleness, and his outstanding personality and the part he played in the life of the village will long be remembered by all who knew him and particularly those whose personal requirements he so faithfully executed.