A man who lived in in Bushey has died at the age of 83 in his home, as he wanted.

Julian Thompson, was born in Blackpool in 1933 and died at his home on Friday July 29.

Mr Thompson spent his childhood in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, before moving to Bushey.

He was a student at Watford Grammar School for Boys and went on to graduate from London University then became a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

He married Audrey in September 1956 and the two were inseparable until her death in February 2007.

They both served Croxley House, in Croxley Green, for more than 40 years.

Mr Thompson was responsible for extending and improving the Georgian building to provide the modern care home facilities for the Royal Voluntary Service.

He was also the chairman of the governors at a comprehensive school and a member of South West Herts County Educational Advisory Committee.

He established his business in 1957 initially from Croxley Green then moving to an old pub in Rickmansworth where it continues still.

Mr Thompson carried out more than 10,000 house surveys but his real passion was in the restoration of old buildings and he worked on projects such as the refurbishment of an old windmill in Norfolk.

As well as a conversion of farm buildings including the longest cow house in Hertfordshire into a school – Northwood Prep, now part of Merchant Taylor’s Northwood.

In addition he became consultant planning inspector hearing appeals on behalf of the Secretary of State.

While running his business, he also kept himself busy restoring five outbuildings and barns near Croxley Green.

In December 2000 Mr Thompson officially retired and he spent some time away in Brittany with his wife.

He became deeply involved with St Bartholomew’s Anglican Church in Dinard which is probably Julian’s most lasting legacy.

For more than 40 years he was instrumental in improving the church’s building and facilities keeping the services going with visiting priests, fundraising, providing a church flat.

Mr Thompson contribution to the Anglican Church in Brittany was recognised by the Queen when she present Maundy Money to him at Westminster Abbey in 2011.

He cared for his wife who had cancer for nine years, ending in 2007 when she died, only to be diagnosed himself with Parkinson’s the same year and Lewy Body dementia in 2011.