It is with great sadness that I have to announce to readers of this page that Former IDE President Tony Hurley has last week. Tony was IDE President from 1992-1994.
Anyone who knew Tony, as I did, will know what a fantastically knowledgeable man he was, with a great Northern sense of humour and someone who helped to change demolition to the industry it is today.
One of my memories of Tony is sitting in his car at Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham looking across at the Ron Hull high reach that was painted to look like a giraffe and Tony's comment that "It nods it's head a bit but it is bloody tall and it will get the job done safely". He was spot on with both observations, it certainly did "nod it's head" but it was the first high reach that I saw and it got the job done.
Recently I have only seen Tony at IDE AGM's and luncheons or seen his photograph in the occasional article in the media when he has met other former IDE Presidents Richard Vann and Charles Moran at his house in Spain. Every year that he was able to Tony attended the IDE AGM chatted to all and sundry, drank a few drinks and regaled us with demolition stories of the old days.
The news of his death came from Andrew Dale who visited Tony a couple of weeks ago in Spain only to find that his health was failing and he was a shadow of his former self.
Tony was a true gentleman and will be sadly missed not only by his lovely wife Christine, family and friends, but also by the UK Demolition Industry to which he gave great service over the years.
One in a million.
Please take a few minutes to read his "Memoirs of a Demolition Man" as it makes fascinating reading.
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