UPDATED:.

Granville Hollister's funeral will take place at St Mary’s Church, Abergavenny on Wednesday, March 9 at 11.30am.ONE of Abergavenny’s best-known characters, Granville Hollister, known as the man with the camera, has died at the age of 82 writes Lesley Flynn.

Tributes have been paid to the little man who was such a familiar figure in the town, always present at all local events taking photographs.

He fell at his home last week and broke his hip, then had a successful operation the following day but he died two days later.

He had been unwell in recent weeks with chest and breathing problems but until then he had visited the town centre every day as was his usual custom.

He was very popular with local shopkeepers and many of them have photographs he took and poems he wrote.

Ray Hill, who was mayor of Abergavenny five times, paid tribute to Granville.

“He was a real character who was always at all local events with his camera at the ready. He would always give his photographs away, he never charged anyone and he was always writing poems.

“He must have a huge collection of photographs, he was such a good chronicler of daily life in the town.

“He will be a great loss to Abergavenny, he would help anyone.”

Granville was much smaller than his twin brother Dennis at birth yet it was the stronger twin who died from pneumonia when just months old, even though the odds were against him Granville survived.

He had an older brother Jack and sisters Evelyn and Dorothy.

Evelyn celebrated her 90th birthday on Sunday so the family did not tell her of Granville’s death until after her celebrations. Dorothy died in her 80s.

Their father Charles worked on the railways and finished his career as a foreman at the Brecon Road depot. Granville spent most of his working life with the local council, based at the livestock market in Lion Street, but he had a passion for the railways and steam engines and never missed the annual steam rally in Bailey Park, Abergavenny which is now organised by the Rotary Club.

His first interest was taking photographs, like his big brother Jack. He had six nephews and one niece Susan who said, “He was a lovable character and everyone knew him because he was always in town ready for a chat. Everyone will miss him, he was such a great character in the town.”

He met Brenda, his wife of 36 years, when he convalesced in the nursing home where she worked and they lived in the family home in Abergavenny.

She said, “So many people will miss him, he was a regular at all the steam rallies, circuses and fairs.”

The mayor of Abergavenny Councillor Maureen Powell added, “Granville was ever present at all the major events, ready with his camera and his comic rhymes. He was always popping up taking photos and was always pleasant and happy wherever you met him. He was keen to get involved and he will be very much missed in the town. I have only known him since moving to Abergavenny but my husband John has known him more than 70 years.”

Funeral arrangements have not been finalised but enquiries to undertakers Ted Williams and Son.