It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our friend and colleague in local history studies, Peter Filby.
Peter died peacefully at Arthur Rank Hospice on Monday 22nd January 2024.
He served on the Committee of Cambridgeshire Association for Local History for many years and had also been a trustee and volunteer at both Cambridge Museum of Technology and the Museum of Cambridge. He was also a valued member of the mills preservation community through his research and practical support on projects.
At Cambridge Museum of Technology he was one of the founding trustees when the new governance document was adopted in 2014. He was our resident local historian, generous in sharing his knowledge and giving us access to his reference materials. He carried out research on the story of rubbish and sewage in Cambridge which later fed into the displays in our redeveloped museum. Local history ran in his family, his mother Ena having been a Cambridge Blue Badge Guide and his aunt, Irene Lister, wrote on local history subjects. He was always available when help was needed, stepping in to do everything from demonstrating printing presses, to posing for photos for a guidebook as the rest of us were not too keen on having our photos taken, to running the shop when needed There were days when the museum would not have opened if Peter had not stepped up to the till. As a trustee, he was always very supportive of the staff, bearing boxes of chocolate biscuits at Christmas or accompanying us on a trip to the Wrestlers for a drink and a curry.
A kind and generous man, he will be greatly missed by all of us who work in and love our local history.
Funeral Announcement
Peter’s friends and colleagues are invited to attend a memorial service at St Philip’s Church, 185 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 3AN at 10.45am on Monday 19th February 2024. There is very limited parking near the church so please be prepared to walk, bike or get a taxi.
A lunchtime reception will follow at Cambridge Museum of Technology, CB5 8LD, from 12 noon. Entrance to the Museum can be from Cheddars Lane or Riverside. There is some parking on site, entry via Cheddars Lane, and there is also three hours free parking at the neighbouring Tesco on Newmarket Road. Once parked there, aim for the very tall chimney and you will find the Museum.
There will also be a service at Cambridge Crematorium, East Chapel, earlier in the day at 9.30am.
You are welcome to come to all or any of these events. It would help us in planning our catering and orders of service if you could let us know which you are likely to attend.
We would love to have photos and memories of Peter for inclusion in the service and at the reception. Please do share with us via email to michbullivant@gmail.com or bring them along to the lunchtime reception where they can be displayed
If you would like to donate to charity in memory of Peter please follow this link which will take you to the memorial donation page: https://peasgoodandskeates.co.uk/donate-in-memory
Any flowers should be sent to Peasgood & Skeates, 617 Newmarket Road, Cambridge, CB5 8PA the day before.