William Hepworth, who made the Queen Mother memorial gates at Balhousie Castle for The Black Watch and the refurbished bandstand on Magdalen Yard Green, Dundee, has died.
Born in Wragby, Yorkshire, in 1934, Bill, as he was known, moved to Wakefield as a 10-year-old. He played rugby for his school and threw the javelin.
Later he served an engineering apprenticeship at Rhodes, Wakefield, before joining the Merchant Navy. He gained his steam and motor “tickets” at Hull.
In 1955 he sailed on the S.S. Matheran as Fifth Engineer, rising through the ranks until being made Chief Engineer.
He continued to serve at this level until leaving the sea in 1968.
Bill married Fiona in 1975 and the couple moved to Alyth in 1976.
Togther they set up the Alyth Art Foundry with the help of the Saddler family, who provided farm buildings.
The foundry made its mark with the Torso De Femme statue that stands outside the Fergusson Gallery in Perth.
