LILIES - RHS Lily Group

In many ways the Newsletter is the most important publication of the Lily
Group as it is the main point of contact with members. To be effective it has to
be informative, well written, and sent out at set times of the year – something to
be eagerly awaited. Tony’s newsletters were all of those things: they were, by
common consent, the best that members had ever enjoyed.
With the rapid growth in membership in the 1980s it became apparent that the
Secretary’s duties had become too burdensome for one person and would have
to be divided. Thus, Tony also became the first Membership Secretary in 1988,
continuing until 1998 when he retired from the Committee. His first task was to
take over the computerized membership records that the Secretary had set up a
few years previously, and transfer them to the Lily Group’s own new computer.
That same year he was also greatly involved with the organisation of the Fritillaria
Conference (the genus particularly interested him) held at the Chelsea Physic
Garden. And also, that same year, he moved house from the hurly-burly of
suburban Epsom to the rural tranquillity of Lowbands in Gloucestershire.
The following year he also took on the editorship of Lilies and Related Plants
(the Lily Year Book), producing three splendid issues commencing with the
Proceedings of the 5th International Lily Conference in 1989.
There were three strands to Tony’s life: his family; his work (teaching and
research); and gardening (including competitive showing, lecturing and editing
books). His catch phrase was “Make a difference!” He was quiet, thoughtful and
attentive to detail - ideal qualities for the particular tasks that he undertook and
so ably carried out. But, although undemonstrative by nature, he would plainly
speak his mind when he thought it necessary. It was the Lily Group’s good
fortune to enjoy his many contributions to its work for so long.
Throughout his life Tony loved sharing his knowledge through giving talks.
These were always delivered extempore and, when his memory started to fail,
rather than use notes he gave up lecturing altogether. He died in January 2006
– ironically not from Altzheimer’s disease but from mesothelioma, probably
contracted during the refurbishment of one of the many hospitals in which he
worked. He is survived by Barbara, a son and two daughters.
Dr Anthony Frederick Hayward, anatomist and plantsman
Born 27 December 1933, died 16 January 2006 aged 72
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