St. Macartin's Cathedral
Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
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Services & Meetings
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Rev. Canon Brian Courtney BD MA
The
Norman Hilliard
Page
Norman Hilliard
Page
This page on our website we proudly dedicate to our Honorary Treasurer, Mr NORMAN HILLIARD. We thank God for the fifty years he has given to this very important post as well as for the manner in which the work has been done. Norman has combined length of service with professional competence and personal dedication to such an extent that he is, in the very best possible way, taken for granted. Over that half century the people who have shared with Norman in the affairs of the Parish are undoubtedly those who realise most how much he does and the time he gives to ensure that our finances are correctly and efficiently administered.
In recent years the Select Vestry gave consideration to how best to pay tribute to Norman’s work and decided that it could do nothing better than place a stained glass window in the south aisle of the Cathedral. Norman had previously resisted such plans but persistence won the day so that he, for once in his life, gave in!
On Sunday 20th April 2008, Bishop Michael Jackson dedicated the new window in the presence of a large congregation together with Norman and members of his family.
In recent years the Select Vestry gave consideration to how best to pay tribute to Norman’s work and decided that it could do nothing better than place a stained glass window in the south aisle of the Cathedral. Norman had previously resisted such plans but persistence won the day so that he, for once in his life, gave in!
On Sunday 20th April 2008, Bishop Michael Jackson dedicated the new window in the presence of a large congregation together with Norman and members of his family.
From left: Canon Brian Coutney (Rector), Stephen Richmond (Churchwarden), Bishop Michael Jackson, Norman Hilliard and George Irvine (Churchwarden). Apologies for the picture quality - it was captured from a low resolution video!
The previous evening, the cathedral hall was packed to capacity with so many parishoners who were there to honour Norman at a special dinner, followed by a concert during which various members delivered speeches and contributed musical and humourous items. This was also used as an occasion to bid farewell to our outgoing curate, Rev. Ian Linton and his wife, Amanda. During the speeches, Canon Courtney announced that as an additional honour, the Conference Room in the parish hall had been renamed, "The Hilliard Room".
Further information can be read on the Diocesan website:
http://clogher.anglican.org/index.php?p=news08/0818+hiliard
The previous evening, the cathedral hall was packed to capacity with so many parishoners who were there to honour Norman at a special dinner, followed by a concert during which various members delivered speeches and contributed musical and humourous items. This was also used as an occasion to bid farewell to our outgoing curate, Rev. Ian Linton and his wife, Amanda. During the speeches, Canon Courtney announced that as an additional honour, the Conference Room in the parish hall had been renamed, "The Hilliard Room".
Further information can be read on the Diocesan website:
http://clogher.anglican.org/index.php?p=news08/0818+hiliard
Clockwise from top: Jim Kerr, Norman Hilliard and Sam Morrow; Rev. Ian and Amanda Linton; the church praise group.
Mr Sam Morrow, Honorary Secretary to the Select Vestry delivered the following speech:
We are gathered this evening to celebrate Norman’s outstanding fifty year’s service to this cathedral and parish. Mr Jim Kerr, the longest serving member of the select vestry next to Norman, will pay tribute to Norman for his work in this parish and for the Church of Ireland generally. In order to appreciate fully Norman’s service to the church you should know that first and foremost Norman is a family man. Furthermore, he serves the wider community in very many ways.
Norman as a family man
Norman was born in Trillick, he attended Kilskeery Church of Ireland Primary School and proceeded from there to that highly respected Enniskillen Technical School. After finishing his schooling in 1947 he gained an apprenticeship with the accountancy firm of Rawlinson, Allen and White which had its offices in Townhall Street. Having gained his apprenticeship qualifications he moved to the Cookstown firm of Harold F. Bell. The following year he returned again to a senior position in Rawlinson, Allen and White. After a further three years with that firm he was appointed in 1956 to the position of accountant with the Fermanagh Health and Welfare Committee.
Soon after this appointment Norman was to take the most important step in his life when he married Alice in 1959. This proved to be a great partnership and led to an extremely happy and fulfilling family life for them both. They had three children, Ross, Alison and Thomas. We are delighted that all three are with us this evening together with two of Norman’s four grandchildren. Ross, Alison and Thomas grew up in a home where there was tremendous parental support and encouragement. After the Model School, Alison attended the Collegiate Grammar school and Ross and Thomas went to Portora. At the same time they participated fully in the organisations associated with St Macartin’s Cathedral. From the Enniskillen schools they gained admission to the top universities in these islands - Ross to Edinburgh, Alison to Oxford and Thomas to both Cambridge and Oxford. All three are now enjoying successful careers - Ross as an engineer, Alison as a journalist and broadcaster and Thomas as a consultant paediatrician.
Sadly the family suffered a severe blow in 2002 with Alice’s untimely death. This was particularly difficult for Norman with the rest of his family living in England. However, Norman, with the full support of his family, has coped with that grave loss in a very positive manner.
We are gathered this evening to celebrate Norman’s outstanding fifty year’s service to this cathedral and parish. Mr Jim Kerr, the longest serving member of the select vestry next to Norman, will pay tribute to Norman for his work in this parish and for the Church of Ireland generally. In order to appreciate fully Norman’s service to the church you should know that first and foremost Norman is a family man. Furthermore, he serves the wider community in very many ways.
Norman as a family man
Norman was born in Trillick, he attended Kilskeery Church of Ireland Primary School and proceeded from there to that highly respected Enniskillen Technical School. After finishing his schooling in 1947 he gained an apprenticeship with the accountancy firm of Rawlinson, Allen and White which had its offices in Townhall Street. Having gained his apprenticeship qualifications he moved to the Cookstown firm of Harold F. Bell. The following year he returned again to a senior position in Rawlinson, Allen and White. After a further three years with that firm he was appointed in 1956 to the position of accountant with the Fermanagh Health and Welfare Committee.
Soon after this appointment Norman was to take the most important step in his life when he married Alice in 1959. This proved to be a great partnership and led to an extremely happy and fulfilling family life for them both. They had three children, Ross, Alison and Thomas. We are delighted that all three are with us this evening together with two of Norman’s four grandchildren. Ross, Alison and Thomas grew up in a home where there was tremendous parental support and encouragement. After the Model School, Alison attended the Collegiate Grammar school and Ross and Thomas went to Portora. At the same time they participated fully in the organisations associated with St Macartin’s Cathedral. From the Enniskillen schools they gained admission to the top universities in these islands - Ross to Edinburgh, Alison to Oxford and Thomas to both Cambridge and Oxford. All three are now enjoying successful careers - Ross as an engineer, Alison as a journalist and broadcaster and Thomas as a consultant paediatrician.
Sadly the family suffered a severe blow in 2002 with Alice’s untimely death. This was particularly difficult for Norman with the rest of his family living in England. However, Norman, with the full support of his family, has coped with that grave loss in a very positive manner.
Mr Jim Kerr then made the following speech:
Friends
We have gathered together to acknowledge and to express our debt of gratitude to one of our fellow parishioners. We have come to pay tribute and to honour the outstanding and unsurpassed service, dedication and commitment of one man. His story is one that has lasted fifty years, half a century, more than a life sentence! The man to whom I refer is, of course, Norman Hilliard.
When I came to the cathedral nearly fifty years ago, Norman was already here “at the receipt of custom” and singing in the choir.
In the mid-1950s the parish had a problem! It had just lost a key officer, an Honorary Treasurer. The problem was, “Where do we find a replacement?” The then rector, Dean Thomas Clements, a very wise and astute man, had the great ability of looking out for and discovering talent amongst “his flock”. He made one of his greatest discoveries - a young man who was an expert, a genius with figures! That young man was one T.J.N. Hilliard.
Now, in church circles, when someone does a good job, we have a very special way of rewarding them. We ask them to do it again…and again….and again! Year after year, Norman presented the Parish accounts with such care, diligence, skill and professionalism that he was indeed rewarded…by being entrusted with the books and accounts - for fifty years!
If we could just for a moment turn the clock back 50 years - what was it like then? There was no Cathedral Hall - the ground was then the Rectory garden. The present Rectory garden was the location of the old Parochial Hall. It was built in 1922 and had many deficiencies. In 1960 it was declared unfit for purpose. It had ill-fitting steel windows of the type seen in cowsheds. The floor was of knobbly knotty pine. Its flat roof leaked and it was draughty and hard to heat. A further problem was that it was too small - there wasn’t enough room for the 300 children in the Sunday School. As well as that, indoor bowling was becoming popular, and this old hall was totally inadequate for the needs of the Parish Bowling Club. The momentum towards replacing it with a modern hall increased till it became a priority. A young Scottish architect, Mr Ian Storie, was engaged to draw the plans.
But what about the finance? £45,000 - not easy to find in those days. (Webmaster’s note - not easy to find these days either!) In today’s terms it would be equal to over £1 million! Then there was talk of Stewardship, a new concept in giving, a plan that would allow us to be sure of a regular financial commitment from every parishioner. Thus in the early sixties the first Stewardship campaign was launched. This gave the Select Vestry the encouragement to step out in faith to build a new hall. Consequently the parish found itself HEAVILY in debt! Norman had the difficult task of managing a deficit account for many years. With his special skill, Norman successfully negotiated a substantial loan at a fixed interest rate of 6% over a 25-year period. This proved to be a tremendous benefit to our parish when shortly afterwards, interest rates soared to three times this amount!
As well as the new hall, other major developments were undertaken:
Caretaker’s house
Curate’s house
Retirement bungalow
Refurbishment of the Rectory
Replacement of the Cathedral heating system
Treatment and elimination of dry and wet rot
Repairs after the Cathedral fire in 1996
Re-roofing of the new hall
Double glazing of the windows
Replacement of flat roofs
Refurbishment of the organ
Repainting of the Cathedral and Hall
Installation of the sound and vision system in the Cathedral
All of these required the management skills of our Honorary Treasurer.
Along with investing his time and energy in serving his parish, Norman was elected as a Diocesan Synodsman and it wasn’t long before his special gifts were put to good use in this respect. He was a valuable member of the Diocesan Finance Committee and was appointed Diocesan Honorary Secretary to the Synod. Further election allowed him to become a representative to the Church’s General Synod.
We meet on a historic and unique occasion - to celebrate fifty years of dedication, commitment and service. Norman was much more than an honorary treasurer. Through his dedication and foresight, this Parish has been saved thousands of pounds. Norman, please accept the gratitude of all your fellow parishioners and may you have many years to enjoy looking at the fine stained glass window erected in your honour in St. Macartin’s Cathedral.
Friends
We have gathered together to acknowledge and to express our debt of gratitude to one of our fellow parishioners. We have come to pay tribute and to honour the outstanding and unsurpassed service, dedication and commitment of one man. His story is one that has lasted fifty years, half a century, more than a life sentence! The man to whom I refer is, of course, Norman Hilliard.
When I came to the cathedral nearly fifty years ago, Norman was already here “at the receipt of custom” and singing in the choir.
In the mid-1950s the parish had a problem! It had just lost a key officer, an Honorary Treasurer. The problem was, “Where do we find a replacement?” The then rector, Dean Thomas Clements, a very wise and astute man, had the great ability of looking out for and discovering talent amongst “his flock”. He made one of his greatest discoveries - a young man who was an expert, a genius with figures! That young man was one T.J.N. Hilliard.
Now, in church circles, when someone does a good job, we have a very special way of rewarding them. We ask them to do it again…and again….and again! Year after year, Norman presented the Parish accounts with such care, diligence, skill and professionalism that he was indeed rewarded…by being entrusted with the books and accounts - for fifty years!
If we could just for a moment turn the clock back 50 years - what was it like then? There was no Cathedral Hall - the ground was then the Rectory garden. The present Rectory garden was the location of the old Parochial Hall. It was built in 1922 and had many deficiencies. In 1960 it was declared unfit for purpose. It had ill-fitting steel windows of the type seen in cowsheds. The floor was of knobbly knotty pine. Its flat roof leaked and it was draughty and hard to heat. A further problem was that it was too small - there wasn’t enough room for the 300 children in the Sunday School. As well as that, indoor bowling was becoming popular, and this old hall was totally inadequate for the needs of the Parish Bowling Club. The momentum towards replacing it with a modern hall increased till it became a priority. A young Scottish architect, Mr Ian Storie, was engaged to draw the plans.
But what about the finance? £45,000 - not easy to find in those days. (Webmaster’s note - not easy to find these days either!) In today’s terms it would be equal to over £1 million! Then there was talk of Stewardship, a new concept in giving, a plan that would allow us to be sure of a regular financial commitment from every parishioner. Thus in the early sixties the first Stewardship campaign was launched. This gave the Select Vestry the encouragement to step out in faith to build a new hall. Consequently the parish found itself HEAVILY in debt! Norman had the difficult task of managing a deficit account for many years. With his special skill, Norman successfully negotiated a substantial loan at a fixed interest rate of 6% over a 25-year period. This proved to be a tremendous benefit to our parish when shortly afterwards, interest rates soared to three times this amount!
As well as the new hall, other major developments were undertaken:
Caretaker’s house
Curate’s house
Retirement bungalow
Refurbishment of the Rectory
Replacement of the Cathedral heating system
Treatment and elimination of dry and wet rot
Repairs after the Cathedral fire in 1996
Re-roofing of the new hall
Double glazing of the windows
Replacement of flat roofs
Refurbishment of the organ
Repainting of the Cathedral and Hall
Installation of the sound and vision system in the Cathedral
All of these required the management skills of our Honorary Treasurer.
Along with investing his time and energy in serving his parish, Norman was elected as a Diocesan Synodsman and it wasn’t long before his special gifts were put to good use in this respect. He was a valuable member of the Diocesan Finance Committee and was appointed Diocesan Honorary Secretary to the Synod. Further election allowed him to become a representative to the Church’s General Synod.
We meet on a historic and unique occasion - to celebrate fifty years of dedication, commitment and service. Norman was much more than an honorary treasurer. Through his dedication and foresight, this Parish has been saved thousands of pounds. Norman, please accept the gratitude of all your fellow parishioners and may you have many years to enjoy looking at the fine stained glass window erected in your honour in St. Macartin’s Cathedral.
Health Service career
Now back to Norman’s career. With reorganisation of local government in 1973 Norman became finance officer and assistant district administrative officer for the Western Health and Social Services Board in Fermanagh. Four years later he was appointed Group Administrator for the Fermanagh Unit of the Western Health and Social Services Board and served with distinction in that post until his retirement in 1990. A highlight of his career at the hospital was the building and opening of the geriatric unit in 1990. Norman was administrator at the hospital at the time of the Enniskillen bomb and as you know the hospital systems were not found wanting at that time.
Community service
As well as being a heavily committed family man and treasurer of this parish Norman played and continues to play a very full part in community life. He lists the following as his interests: senior member of the Masonic Order in Enniskillen; treasurer of the Enniskillen Branch of the Ulster Cancer Foundation; treasurer of Fermanagh Unionist Club; member of Rotary Club of Enniskillen from 1975. In the Rotary Club he served as chairman of the Community Service Committee and was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 1996. This is quite a rare appointment in that there are relatively few who have earned this honour. The award was for his work in the Club in furthering friendly relations among peoples of the world.
In education Norman served as a governor of the Erne Special School and of Portora Royal School for many years.
He served as High Sheriff of County Fermanagh in 1983 and was appointed a J. P. in 1984.
In addition to his family commitments and deep involvement in community affairs Norman has been treasurer of this cathedral parish for over 50 years and Mr Kerr is going to say something about that.
Now back to Norman’s career. With reorganisation of local government in 1973 Norman became finance officer and assistant district administrative officer for the Western Health and Social Services Board in Fermanagh. Four years later he was appointed Group Administrator for the Fermanagh Unit of the Western Health and Social Services Board and served with distinction in that post until his retirement in 1990. A highlight of his career at the hospital was the building and opening of the geriatric unit in 1990. Norman was administrator at the hospital at the time of the Enniskillen bomb and as you know the hospital systems were not found wanting at that time.
Community service
As well as being a heavily committed family man and treasurer of this parish Norman played and continues to play a very full part in community life. He lists the following as his interests: senior member of the Masonic Order in Enniskillen; treasurer of the Enniskillen Branch of the Ulster Cancer Foundation; treasurer of Fermanagh Unionist Club; member of Rotary Club of Enniskillen from 1975. In the Rotary Club he served as chairman of the Community Service Committee and was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 1996. This is quite a rare appointment in that there are relatively few who have earned this honour. The award was for his work in the Club in furthering friendly relations among peoples of the world.
In education Norman served as a governor of the Erne Special School and of Portora Royal School for many years.
He served as High Sheriff of County Fermanagh in 1983 and was appointed a J. P. in 1984.
In addition to his family commitments and deep involvement in community affairs Norman has been treasurer of this cathedral parish for over 50 years and Mr Kerr is going to say something about that.
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