'Everyone loved him': Stilton local icon Ifor Williams passes away aged 95

The city has always had its fair share of colourful characters – but there is one which we can never forget.

Ifor Williams, the man who was famous for his red white and blue sausages, has passed away aged 95.

From inventing union jack sausages for the Queen's jubilee, to holding a topless carpet sale - and even biting a dog after it bit him - Ifor had an eclectic back catalogue of famous local tales.

The Peterborough Telegraph has reported on countless madcap antics of the extrovert character over the years, whose face seemed to be everywhere during the 1970s and 1980s.

Over the years he ran a successful carpet business, a butcher's shop and even a dating agency – to name a few.

‘Everyone loved him’

His granddaughter, Catherine Williams, described Ifor as her “hero.”

"I was the first grandchild. He was my hero,” she told this newspaper. “I followed him around in his shadow.

"He was the most crazy character. Everyone loved him – he was a lovable rogue.

"He was also extremely generous – he would walk into any pub and within an hour the whole pub would be drunk after he'd ordered everyone rounds of drinks.”

One familiar anecdote which Catherine retold was how Ifor was known for regularly taking animals into pubs, including horses, one of which pooed on the landlord's carpet.

This got Ifor’s cogs turning and the born-to-be-businessman turned the accident into a publicity stunt by laying a free carpet at the pub.

Although Peterborough took him to their hearts, Ifor was originally born in Bodelwyddan, Wales on 17 December 1927 and he was christened in the Marble Church.

He was one of five boys.

In his early teens he moved to Little Stukely, in Huntingdon, where he worked as a farm-hand and tractor driver.

Years later, in the early 1950s, he moved to London and had several successful businesses, including two tyres shops, a hardware shop, an ironing board factory and a second-hand furniture store.

During this time he met the woman who was to be the “love of his life”, Kathleen May Green. After becoming marrying, they had three daughters Linda, Margaret and Carol.

In 1963 the pair moved to Stilton, and “paid cash with a handshake”, for a large house with a small holding, with no estate agent involvement.

Catherine said the dad-of-three was known to drive “very flash cars” at a time when not many people owned such a vehicle – and, as a result, his family said he was wrongly investigated as a suspect in the Great Train Robbery because police at the time were cynical of his wealth.

Sadly, when his wife Kathleen passed away in 1987, Ifor up sticks and decided to take up his life-long ambition and travel the world.

In 1995 he settled in Thailand where he decided to set up a new life.

He helped many locals set up businesses in Thailand and dabbled in dairy farming in Vietnam.

In 2000 he moved back to the UK to live with his daughter, Margaret, in Yaxley.

He did not slow down but continued his exploits; selling silk ties and scarves, orchids and watches.

Even at the age of 88 years he set up shop outside his daughter’s house selling flowers and plants.

Ifor was approached in his later years by a local author who wanted to write Ifor’s life story, which Ifor agreed to, with one condition, the book was to be called From Grain to Rice.

It was during his time in Stilton that Ifor became well known as an eccentric businessman.

Over the years his businesses in Stilton and the surrounding areas included selling anoraks, fur coats, a butcher’s, carpets, tyres, bedding, a furniture shop in Stamford and he bought a local car battery business and learnt to make car and tractor batteries.

He was also a horse dealer and dealt in gold and antiques.

He once told this newspaper: “I have made a million, but I wouldn't say I kept it all.”

‘To me he was invincible’

Catherine added: “We want him to be remembered and for him to go out with a bang. We want the streets of Stilton to be flooded with people to remember him.

"When I was a child growing up, he was like a superhero - to me he was invincible.

"I spent all of my spare time with him. He was the most amazing man in the world. I was always so proud to be walking down the street alongside him - everyone knew him. He looked after people - offering everyone jobs in the village."

Ifor’s funeral is due to take place on 17 February 2023, at 3pm, at St Mary Magdelene Church, Stilton. His family have said all are welcome to attend the service and the wake at The Talbot Inn.