IN FONDEST MEMORY

TONY SHIPLEY (1937-2023)

On the first day of lockdown Tony Shipley suffered a stroke and was recovering from this when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Tony, a Life Member, played an executive role in the organisation of the building of our theatre in the late 1950s until its opening. He became Stage Director for a period in the newly opened auditorium and was a very keen sound designer and operator for many of our shows. He was also an active member of the Committee of Management, the forerunner of the Board of Trustees. He married Dorothy Craik in 1967 who was a very active member of the stage management team also in the 1950s and 1960s.They left Questors to live in Gloucestershire some 20+ years ago but remained in touch with many of their friends.

His funeral on 20th June will be in Gloucestershire and is being organised by Martin
Field, Ted and Carla Field's surviving son, and Tony's nephew by marriage.
Sylvia Wall
24 May 2023

Excerpt from QUESTOPICS, September 1967

TONY SHIPLEY joined Questors in 1958. His main interest was lighting but his enthusiasm, natural ability, and complete unflappability involved him rapidly in every aspect of work back stage to say nothing of planning the technical side of the new theatre. In 1962 he became Chairman of the newly formed Stage Committee and was immediately elected to the Committee of Management. Since then he has had very little time for lighting!

As Chairman of the Stage Committee, his main problem lies in balancing the schemes for expanding the theatre's activities against its available back-stage resources. His concern is to keep the amount of work which the various members of his team have to shoulder within tolerable limits— something which calls for tact and diplomacy of the highest order.

It is impossible to detail all the things for which Tony Shipley is responsible at Mattock Lane. They range from organising the technical operation of the theatre to maintaining and renewing its equipment. He also replaces the light bulbs. Nevertheless, like all busy and energetic people he is always willing to help out somebody else who may be overburdened. Without doubt he is one of Questors biggest assets.