Hugh Phillips, football referee and indoor bowls official: born April 4, 1920, died February 18, 1996
HUGH Phillips, formerly one of Scotland's top football referees and, at the time of his death, president of the World Indoor Bowls Council, died on Sunday after a stroke.
He had only returned the previous day from Preston where he had been involved in the staging of the World Indoor Bowls championships.
Born in Motherwell, he was educated at Dalziel Public and later Dalziel High school. His first job was as a wages and cost clerk with Clyde Crane and Engineering Company, in Mossend, before being called up by the Royal Artillery.
After initially serving at Saltash, Cornwall, for three years, Phillips was posted to India and promoted to sergeant in the School of Artillery. After the war he returned to his employment with Clyde Crane, and after moving to a firm of chartered accountants in Glasgow, went on to join Customs and Excise in 1964 retiring in 1980 as a VAT inspector.
It was while serving in India that he started refereeing and on his return to Scotland he joined the Lanarkshire Referees Association in 1946. Three years later he refereed the Scottish Junior Cup final between Auchinleck Talbot and Petershill.
He moved on to the senior list in the 1951-52 season and officiated at three Scottish Cup finals, four League Cup finals, and more than 20 international matches, ending his career in 1966 at the World Cup finals in England.
Phillips turned his sporting attention to bowls, joining the Dalziel Club in Motherwell and the Lanarkshire Indoor bowling club. He became an honorary member of both and also served the Scottish Indoor Bowling Association as treasurer for the past 19 years. He was appointed president of the World Indoor Bowls Council last year.
He and his wife, Davina, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last year. They have two children, George and Irene, and four grandchildren.
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