TRIBUTES have been paid to a council leader and well-known businessman who would “drop anything to help anyone” .
Oswald Hedley, known widely as Ossie, ran the Wheatsheaf, in Staindrop, for 20 years with his wife, Mary, and served on councils in the dale for three decades. He died aged 78 last month.
Born in Gateshead during the Second World War in March 1940, the young Mr Hedley came to the safety of Little Newsham when he was three alongside his mother, Emily, and brother Audrey.
His father, able seaman William Hedley, died when he was just six.
After missing school helping his mother through chronic asthma, he left aged 15 to become an apprentice for Arthur Marshall and so began his grounding in the building trade.
Five years later he was running the firm and he opened up his own business at 24.
He met Mary while playing cricket and six weeks later he proposed in front of a match on the TV.
The pair married in 1962 at St Andrew’s, Winston, and settled in South Cleatlam where they had four children – Mark, Linda, Carol and Paul.
In 1975, Ossie and Mary took over the Wheatsheaf Inn and ran the “top house” for 20 years making many friends on the way.
It was during this time that Mr Hedley made his move into local politics, becoming a parish councillor in Staindrop and later an independent councillor at Teesdale District Council.
Mr Hedley’s daughter, Linda Raper, remembered her father’s legendary lock-ins during his time at the pub and his generosity at Christmas time.
She said: “He was just always dad – he was a busy man so we didn’t see a lot of him but he was very protective of us. He did warn off a boyfriend once and he was always giving advice – even if you didn’t want it.
“Dad never had Christmas just as family – if people were on their own we often had strangers in for dinner.
“As a kid you did not like it but you appreciate it more now.”
Ms Raper also recalled his kind spirit during times of bad weather when he helped neighbours and friends out of the snow.
She added: “He’d always make sure they were okay – that was dad’s nature, he would drop everything for anyone.”
Mr Hedley was a district councillor for 30 years – a council leader and longstanding chairman of the planning committee.
On behalf of the family, his daughter Carol Gray said her father was “very proud” to serve dale folk “working tirelessly to support his constituents” .
She said: “He never canvassed at election times, he believed passionately that the local people would know and trust him, and they did, as he was repeatedly voted in every four years.”
His career at the council won him many enduring friendships until he passed away this year.
But his greatest joy was his family.
Mrs Gray added: “He was immensely proud of his four children, their spouses and his nine grandchildren.
“He loved to guide and give advice to his family, he will be sadly missed by his wife and family.”
