Obituary: Dacorum historian and author Bert Hosier leaves lasting legacy

Tributes have been paid to well-known Northchurch historian, Bert Hosier, who passed away on May 24 at the age of 94.

Bert was born near Aldbury and moved to Northchurch when he was six; he remained in the village for the rest of his life.

Bert’s passion was local history and had the knack of collecting snippets of information and reminiscences from people he spoke to, or simply things that he had observed.

He, then, used them as the basis of one of the many articles he wrote for the St Mary’s Northchurch Newsletter under his pen name ‘Hedgehog’ - a hedgehog is a name given to a native of Hertfordshire.

Many of his early articles were later condensed into his book Hedgehog’s Northchurch, published in 1994.

Apart from writing, Bert frequently spent time talking about local history to the children at St Mary's C of E Primary School as well as to various organisations in the area.

Another of Bert’s passions was his garden where he grew vegetables every year whilst he enjoyed the magnificent views over Northchurch.

His grandson, Ben Champniss said great things about the “incredible man” who was a “well-respected man” and an “amazing grandad” to him.

Ben, who acts on the BBC1 show EastEnders, said: “He was always the go-to man if anyone ever had a question about the local area.” He added: “He was unlike any other granddad of anyone else.”

In October last year, Bert had a road in a new Berkhamsted housing development named in his honour - Hedgehog Way, which he was “over the moon” about.

Ben explained: “I took him up there with my son as well and we stood next to the sign and he loved that. He was very honoured by that.”

His funeral will be on Monday, June 27 at 11am at St Mary's Church in Northchurch.

His family have requested no flowers but donations can be made to St Mary’s School Association’s page here, if desired.