Derek Colley

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Summary

Based on the interview recorded on 28 October 2013. It reflects the interviewee’s life and memories at that time.

Born in Hereford in 1935, Derek Colley’s life has been one of extraordinary variety, shaped by war, scouting, global engineering, and eventually, a return to the Herefordshire countryside. His childhood in Tupsley was filled with wartime memories, from army camps near his home to adventurous dens in the old brickworks. These early escapades with friends fostered a lifelong love of construction and exploration.

Derek’s Scouting achievements were remarkable: he became one of the first Queen Scouts in Herefordshire and attended the World Jamboree in Austria in 1951. After school and National Service with the Royal Engineers in Egypt, Derek trained as a civil engineer and embarked on a career that took him around the world. He helped build major infrastructure projects in Argentina, Nigeria, Dubai, India, Oman and beyond, often living in remote and challenging environments. His work required ingenuity and diplomacy, especially when managing large and diverse international workforces.

After decades overseas, Derek returned to England and spent ten years managing hospital capital projects in Greenwich. But it was a chance Easter drive through north Herefordshire that rekindled the idea of returning home. Derek and his wife Pam moved to Fownhope, settling into village life with enthusiasm.

Since arriving, he’s applied his practical skills to local causes—from church and school developments to improvements at the village hall. He values Fownhope’s strong sense of community and the chance to reconnect with old friends—some he hadn’t seen since childhood.

Looking back, Derek reflects with quiet pride on a life well lived. “People often underrate what they’ve got right under their noses,” he says. “But here, you can’t walk through the village without stopping to talk to someone. That’s something special.”