Robert Lawrence Meager, known to friends and family as Bob, was born on July 16, 1935 and lived in Sheffield all his life. He first saw control line aircraft being flown in the park as a teenager and was so spellbound by it that he ran home and dragged his father to come and see. This was the start of a lifetime’s love of aircraft
His interest in model flying continued throughout his married life; Bob never missed the Nationals and attended everyone from the 1960s right up to last year; he had even got the hotel booked for this year’s event with his friend Brian Temporal. The Hallam Models stall at the Nats, and also at the Barton Bash became a traditional part of the event for many.
Hallam Models began around 1975 when a friend encouraged Bob to make some of his aircraft models into kits to sell to the local model shop. This attracted a lot of media cover for an up and coming business at the time when most of Sheffield’s steel and engineering firms were closing down. Bob and Nick thought that in a year’s time they would be millionaires. Sadly, this wasn’t the case but they carried on just for the enjoyment.
At this time Bob and Nick had also become respected as speed fliers, winning several events in the .049 and .09 classes with Nick piloting and Bob as the ‘needle man’. They made many friendships in the speed fraternity which lasted all his life
In 1982 Bob had a stroke which paralysed him down his right-hand side, but merely made him more determined to carry on with Hallam Models. He never gave up after his stroke and in some ways the business gave him a purpose in life. It also gave him a channel to help in encouraging youngsters and beginners into aeromodelling by producing beginner’s kits for the ‘Nipper’ and ‘Titan’ chuck gliders.
In September 2013, Bob moved to the Cock Inn at Oughtibridge (“a small hamlet on the outskirts of Sheffield”, as he called it), where Claire his daughter was the licensee. There he enjoyed beer on tap and in-house cooking made by his granddaughter Charlotte. Sadly, Bob’s time with his family at the pub was short but he described every moment of it as “being in paradise”.
Bob was admitted to the Northern General Hospital, where he passed away early on Saturday May 3rd. Bob leaves a son Nick, two daughters Claire and Joanne, grandchildren Alexander, Charlotte, Lucy, Rebecca and Tom, together with a hole in many people’s lives. He will be sadly missed.
Mike Bellamy
