I had not seen Tim for years and yet seeing the photograph of him smiling way reminded me so much of him. He was a kind man. I was at Ampleforth also but was younger than he was, so missed him. I also had a brief go at the English College in Rome ( I was there for only 6 weeks or so!) where we met up again and that is where I remember the smile. We had a plan to meet up together in Clapham so I could buy his book but sadly that was not to be.

I went to his funeral as I know that the Catholic Church has a habit of turning its back on what it considers to be dangerous views but I need not have worried as the church was packed especially by the local catholic priest who gave what I considered to be a wonderful address.

RIP

Hugh Elwes

I have such warm memories of Tim and Elizabeth coming to visit in Edinburgh - in particular one memorable cricket match in our back garden in which Tim, Gordon, my late husband, and Chris, our wee (at the time) son, battled it out with great ferocity and hilarity! Also very happy memories of Netherbow days and of wonderful druid gatherings around the oak tree.
For Gordon, Tim was a rare kindred spirit who shared so many stimulating and innovative ideas. We all agreed that God's favourite colour is tartan - everyone should buy the book!
As an act of friendship, Tim arranged and wrote Gordon's obituary for The Times. It was touching and generous and intelligent and sensitive - all of which Tim was. So sad to have to write that in the past tense.
Much love to you, Elizabeth.
Elspeth

Tim's dedicated time spent with us at Horsham Interfaith Forum was very valuable. His thoughtfulness & insight will be missed.
On a personal level I was very touched that Tim included Sean with his invitations to his 'Gatherings' at Slinfold. His understanding & empathy to everyone was remarkable. I hold dear my gatitude to a Spiritual mentor, we had similar understandings to the 'mystery of the eternal'.

Seeing all the wonderful pictures of Tim's rich life, I wish I could add another colourful piece of the puzzle.
But as so often - words fail me.
What stays with me is gratitude for a life lived to the full.
And a regret that I did not take the chance to get to know him better.
With all my love
GunnarS

Remembering Tim brings a warm feeling of comfort and a smile too, he was such a very dear and kind man, gentle and sincere always. One of life's true gentlemen he always had time for everyone, a kind word, a listening ear and forever that beautiful smile with his eyes as well as the big happy grin. His love for Rosie and hers for him was wonderful to see, as well as for his very dear Elisabeth, I will always remember him at the stables and welcoming my lovely Jay dog - or "mad dog" as he always called him, I'm sure the mad dog will have been amongst the rather large welcoming committee as Tim made his final journey to meet his Boss.

If we could all leave this earth knowing that we had touched the lives of just a fraction of the people that Tim has then the world would be a much better place, he showed so many that there is a better way to live, in harmony and peace whichever religion you choose to follow they are all one and all wish for the same thing.

I will wear tartan in your memory Tim on Thursday, but thereafter will think of you whenever I see God's Favourite Colour. I haven't seen you much of late but will miss you knowing that such a lovely man no longer walks this earth with us. Take my love to Steve and enjoy the get togethers in the Angels Arms - I believe they do a good beer there along with an excellent wine cellar!

Love to you and to you too Elisabeth, may God bless you both now as he has in your life together xxx

Dear Elisabeth,
Our thoughts and prayers will be with you this coming week when dear Tim is laid to rest.
We will not be at Slinfold on Thursday as Therese and I will be on holiday in North Wales and Brendan is on holiday in Cornwall with his PA.
Thankfully, we have beautiful memories of our last meeting at your home shortly before he died when we recalled all the happy days we had together, going back to 1970. There were no 'goodbyes', just a "SEARCH HUG" to end an "ENCOUNTER" with a wonderful person who always asked "QUO VADIS ?" and was always willing to go along that road with love and full support.
Love from Patheresebrendan and we will remember.

From Maggie Noble

In his professional life and later with Renewal Arts, Tim was a voice of wisdom and encouragement. There are many lives that have been turned around because of all he poured out for them.

He was also a tower of strength through our most difficult time when my husband, Ken's health was so uncertain. Of course with Tim, as well as the wise counsel, you got the fun! We so needed cheer through our difficulties and he gave it generously with those wonderful Christmases spent with him and Elisabeth. Such a great raconteur with wonderfully, witty anecdotes. Deeply missed.

I remember seeing Tim at the yard most days. He was always smiling and had a cheery hello for me. He was a lovely man and will be greatly missed.
Farewell Tim. Enjoy a pint in heavens bar with my Dad xxx

Dear Tim

It is almost ninety years since your father and my father first met, many years of friendship between two families that has sadly come to an end.

For me, Tim, I recall a shared childhood full of happy and precious memories. The traditional walk along the sea front to the Brighton and Hove Bus Station where you taught me all that I would ever need to know about Southdown buses; then, on the way back, chatting to the 'little old lady' sitting by the sea. The camps in the Hove garden while the inevitable rain fell and Judy the dog sat patiently by. The sailing holiday on the Broads where you fell in and you and the 'crew' laughed so much it took a little while to get you back on board.

Through all these memories are the strands that showed the adult you would become. Your understanding of the need for personal contact when you saw the loneliness of the old lady; your ability to create enthusiasm in others whatever the weather or subject; and finally your strength of character that enabled you quite genuinely to laugh at yourself.

I have known you all my life and know that your compassion, understanding and concern for others has never wavered. You believed that life should be full of laughter, conversation and true friendship - that I shall miss. But I know equally that Elisabeth has always shared your concerns and beliefs; thus the friendship you created between her, myself and my husband Roger will go on and you will be truly remembered.

All love,

Clare (Pugh, nee Nicholas)

I will always remember one evening when Tim and I had snuck out of St. Edmunds and ended up examining the ways of the world over a beer in one of the area's many fine establishments - totally against all the rules of both the School and seminary of course.

We were looking forward to an upcoming 'Search' weekend and debating the discussions from the last one, when I made some throwaway comment that I thought the Church had become too focused on what he called 'Bells and Smells' which was why so many people were deserting it. He said to me, " I do think 'The Boss' must have a great sense of humour when he looks down every Sunday at all his loyal faithful, especially when you think of all the things that are said so earnestly in his name."

Over the years we both had our changes in practice, his perhaps the most radical, but when we spoke about it years after the event his only comments were about the kindness and care shown to him by Basil Hulme. Since then he seems to have done a great job in his mission to bring harmony to people of different faiths.

I'd like to think that sometime around lunchtime last Monday when Tim finally met 'The Boss' person, 'The Boss' welcomed him in with a smile and said "Well my friend, you certainly got them thinking down there, Well done."

For many years I had the honour of having Tim as a counsellor, mentor, and most of all Friend.

Rest in Peace

Our chief memory of Tim is the sheer joy he gave Elizabeth, our dear friend. We valued the rare and wonderful moments we had with the both of you.
All our love, Mike Brown (Australia)

Tim added much to our lives even though we knew him for a relatively short time. We were continually touched by his gentle manner and how he always found time to talk and share his thoughts, his care and his comforting smile. We were both delighted that he was able to marry us and are so thankful that we were able to share the day with him.

Of all of those we have heard lead Unitarian services, he remains one of the people from whom we have benefitted from most. He always spoke with intellect but more importantly with sincerity, authenticity and love. We believed him to be very close to God. The defining aspect of his life seemed to be in loving others and seeking to bring a bit of peace and justice to our world. In this respect his life served its purpose many, many times over.

In peace and love, Stuart and Jan Coupe

It was December 1979, I was a young immature and vulnerable young 18 year old. Suicide was firmly on my mind. I had failed A Levels, been bullied mercilessly throughout school and had severe attachment issues with my parents and was undiagnosed as a dyslexic. Life was as dull as the December skies. Somehow God moved me to find out about SEARCH in my home parish of Letchworth at St Francis College. SEARCH was in the first few weeks of Jan (I think) i turned up and was shocked by the priest who seemed to just sit on the floor and suck on a pipe. The retreat was to prove inspiring and I found the soothing voice of Tim's was to sooth my pain of growing up. It was over the next few years that I trusted to Tim a great deal often interrupting his chess or draughts game with another priest at Westminster but Tim never gave up or turn my tiresome attention seeking behaviour away.
Tim was to send me a mouse that was poking its nose out of the wood that was a pencil holder. he wrote that I reminded him of the mouse who was so afraid to come out. I kept that momento for most of my adult life. Tim was to find a job offer for me in London to work with deprived children in a children's home. My father refused to allow me to take it and I ran away from home to a convent for a few weeks. I feared my parents and on return went to a local job but Tim was still there in the background and I was to start to study for night school, take A levels and eventually off to teacher training. It was the shock of my life to find that Tim left the church just before he was due to celebrate my marriage and I never heard from him again. I missed him in the early years as I struggled to come to terms with his disappearance and often thought of him over the years.

I have spent the last 14 years working with children with emotional and behavioural problems and two years ago found him and made contact as my life started a new journey and path. Tim you would be proud of me now, working within a faith school as Deputyhead. I often wonder what would have happened if i had taken the job you set up but in a funny way I ended up working all my life with such youngsters and parents. You touched my life for a short period and yet you had a powerful part to play in the path I was able to take eventually on my own. Enjoy the experience with our father n your next part of the journey .
Love Suexx