Some people collect things, Tony Saville might collect hobbies.
“I do try to keep busy,” explained Saville in his characteristic English accent, something he has not entirely lost, despite having been in Canada and the Cariboo for decades.
Born in Yorkshire, England, Saville found his way to Canada after an eclectic and international childhood which included leaving Persia (now Iran) at five years old on an oil tanker.
His father worked for an oil company there and the family had to leave after the oilfields were nationalized. They stepped off the tanker in Tanzania and his father worked in East Africa for many years, most of which Saville spent attending boarding school in England, returning to Africa only for summer holidays. At the time it was a 30-hour trip by air.
As an adult, he found his way on his own to Canada, starting in Montreal and ending up in British Columbia.
Saville is now a long-time resident of Williams Lake who moved here after visiting his ex-wife’s family many times over the years when they were living in Richmond.
He and his wife at the time relocated to enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle. Two daughters, Michelle and Victoria, have also both settled back in the lakecity after having lived away.
Over the years, and since his retirement, Saville has filled his spare time in many ways, and has even restored a classic car he showcased in the Lakers Car Club Show and Shine this spring.
He bought the 1947 Pontiac from Ken Schwartz on Dog Creek, and then began a long and painstaking process of restoring the classic car.
The entire car was stripped down to the frame and built back up.
The car had 65,000 miles on it, according to Saville, and had sat for 14 years waiting for restoration.
Saville said it was an intimidating project and he spent four years working on it once he got rolling.
“I had a lot of help from a lot of people.”
Saville himself took everything off the vehicle and tagged each piece.
But Saville is more than a car enthusiast with some labelling skills.
Saville spent many years as an active member of the Williams Lake Studio Theatre Society, doing every job in theatre for the group, from set building, to promotion, to stage managing and more.
He estimates he stage-managed about 12 plays, directed about six and acted in about half a dozen as well, to some critical acclaim.
At 76 years old, he has since left behind the stage lights after about 20 years with the group.
Saville has instead been putting his skills towards promoting the Cariboo Chilcotin Elder College programs.
He had taken some courses with his partner Maggie Pugh, and then taught an elder college course himself for about half a dozen years. He taught refinishing furniture step by step over six weeks.
“It’s always fun to spread your knowledge,” said Saville.
He said the courses are an interesting array of affordable opportunities for seniors to keep busy and continue lifelong learning.
Saville himself was excited to attend an elder college course on the archaeology of food this year.
Who knows where his curious and creative mind will lead him next.
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ruth.lloyd@wltribune.com
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