Nick Krebs writes: Tony, the Society’s first Honorary Auditor, was born George Anthony Meatyard on 1 August 1939. Growing up in Liverpool, he attended boarding school in Malvern, and on returning home applied successfully for a trainee accountant post at Cunard. Tony’s astute mind and keen eye for detail soon saw him progress. He earned a fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and an accountancy post at Allied Breweries in Burton upon Trent.

 In 1983 he married his beloved Linda, and they set up home in the picturesque village of Rolleston on Dove, just north of Burton. Tony and Linda had a mutual love for the south of France and would often make the long drive for holidays. Closer to home they were particularly fond of Newquay in Cornwall. Tony also enjoyed his music, especially jazz, but often listened to other genres too – in his youth he frequented Liverpool’s Cavern Club and also Brian Epstein’s music shop. 

Tony joined the Charles Close Society within a year of its founding and became its first Honorary Auditor, a post he held for an incredible thirty-six years until his retirement in 2016. He was an outstanding auditor, not simply because he did the job exceedingly well, but also because he was so generous with his time and advice, the latter always given so tactfully that even the messiest numerical dog’s breakfast would be unpicked with the minimum of fuss, rectified with the kindest of explanations and rounded off with the biggest of smiles. He was made an Honorary Member in 2012.

 Tony’s interest in OS mapping was broad. He had good collections of all one-inch series, and focussed particularly on those areas he had come to know well through his walking: he had some wonderful Old Series composite sheets of Devon, Sussex and the Lake District, often with beautiful watercolour additions. Indeed his interests also extended beyond OS, with antiquarian maps by, for example, Greenwood, Chapman and Bowen. 

Tony died aged 82 on 12 October 2021, still residing at Rolleston. His wife Linda predeceased him by just six weeks, and he leaves a stepson Scott. 

With thanks for contributions from Scott Eaglesfield and Simon Richardson.