Obituary Ð Conor Hill

Conor Hill died on 24 December aged 57, after losing his battle with an illness. The son of an optometrist, he started work as an optical technician with Greames Optical Company at the age of 18. Five years later he became the manager of a prescription house in Southampton and the Isle of Wight Optical Company.
Mr Hill returned to the West Midlands in 1973 to set up specialist individual prescription company Oakhill Optical Laboratory in Lye with friend Alan Oakley. They started out in a disused timber garage, survived the three-day week imposed on industry by Edward Heath during the MinersÕ Strike in 1974, and eventually expanded to become one of the major prescription houses in the West Midlands.
An accomplished golfer and winner of many competitions, he was also a talented watercolour artist and exhibited his work frequently. He leaves a wife, Bridget, three sons and a daughter.
His brother Professor Adrian Hill said: ÔHe was known for his genial character and willing ability to find a solution to the most complex of optical prescription problems and many of his clients became personal friends.Õ
Colleagues at Oakhill Optical Laboratory added that messages of condolence from all over the industry had been innumerable, Ôa small message of how much he will be missed by all who knew himÕ.