Bill Stevens - Westfield, East Sussex

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topsy
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Bill Stevens - Westfield, East Sussex

Post by topsy »

I am sorry to be the bearer of sad news but Bill Stevens of Westfield Cactus Nursery, East Sussex died just after Christmas (I only learned of it yesterday) He reached the magnificent age of 96.

He and his wife Olive ran the small nursery at Westfield, north of Hastings. raising plants, taking in collections and distributing the best of them. Bill was Chairman of Eastbourne branch of the BCSS until it closed. He sold Rose Cottage in Westfield where the nursery was and for a while lived in Honiton in Devon to be near his sister, but I think he craved the beauty of the East Sussex countryside and moved back to Westfield to reside in a care home just round the corner from Rose Cottage.

Bill was a good grower, he encouraged youngsters, in particular Geoff Crossett (he of the enormous Euphorbia on the floor at the National Show) and generally encouraged all the growers in the area. Pat Stacey often passed his seedling plants on to Bill for sale as I expect did others.

Happy memories.

Suzanne Mace
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Re: Bill Stevens - Westfield, East Sussex

Post by Werewolf »

Thanks for posting this, Suzanne.

It fell to me to make an announcement about Bill's passing while opening the Sussex Zone mini-convention on Sunday and the reaction from those present was palpable, clearly showing the affection for Bill in this part of the world, which was fully deserved. Bill's Cactus Nursery, run with his wife, Olive, in Westfield, East Sussex was the source of many great plants over the years and visitors were always warmly greeted. More often than not, you would come away with something special plus a little extra thrown in.

Bill introduced very many people to the hobby and then supported them with his knowledge and enthusiasm. I'll always be grateful that he was my mentor and guide for 20 years or more from the mid-1970s, often going out of his way to find plants I particularly wanted to try. Way before my time, he was instrumental in setting up Sussex Zone (I think before there was any kind of national zone structure) and held various posts in local branches, as well as being a founder member and long-time leading light of a Hastings-based affiliated club, the East Sussex Cactus Association. He was still the Honorary President at the time of its closure over 50 years later in 2015.

Bill's final years were spent in a nursing home and I understand that until relatively recently he continued to paint nature portraits in water colour.

The joy of visiting him, the unique smell of pipe tobacco and paraffin and the succession of bouncy, rescued Labrador-Alsatian crosses will never be forgotten.

Graham Evans
Zone 12 Rep.
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