The Late Oliver Illing

22/03/23

Former Chief Veterinary Officer Oliver Illing A former chief veterinary steward, Oliver Illing, has died peacefully at home. His funeral will take place on Tuesday, March 28 at 12.30pm at St Edmund’s Church, Costessey, followed by a family committal. Mr Illing joined the veterinary team at the Royal Norfolk Show, then headed by the senior…

Former Chief Veterinary Officer Oliver Illing

A former chief veterinary steward, Oliver Illing, has died peacefully at home. His funeral will take place on Tuesday, March 28 at 12.30pm at St Edmund’s Church, Costessey, followed by a family committal.

Mr Illing joined the veterinary team at the Royal Norfolk Show, then headed by the senior partner of Chapelfield Vets, John McLintock, in 1984. He became the RNAA’s chief honorary veterinary office in 1991 and was also head steward of veterinary services for another 10 years until standing down in 2002. Mr Illing was made an honorary vice president in 2002 upon his retirement.

He is survived by Janet, and four children including his eldest son, Andrew, who followed in his footsteps at a veterinary surgeon, and 10 grandchildren.

Recent News Posts
View All
Competitor and exhibitor Derek Spanton’s nine decades of support for the Royal Norfolk Show
Wed 03 January

Heavy horse enthusiast Derek Spanton, who has died aged 83, went to his first Royal Norfolk Show in 1952 aged 11. He was taken by his coal merchant uncle to Raveningham, near Beccles – and over the following nine decades, he returned to the show as a trade exhibitor and competitor in veteran and agricultural…

RNAA Annual Report 2023
Sun 31 March

The RNAA Annual Report can be viewed below:

Technology in action on a progressive family business
Fri 01 December

Robots, precision spraying and investment in automation were key themes seen by around 40 RNAA members on a tour of a progressive farming and vegetable packaging business outside Brandon, Suffolk.

The Late Geoffrey Burrows
Thu 12 October

A self-taught painter Geoffrey Burrows, who has died aged 89, was a successful exhibitor at the Royal Norfolk Show’s art show for four decades.
A figurative painter in oil and watercolour, he was born in St Faith’s, near Norwich, and went to Paston Grammar School, North Walsham. He became a telecommunications engineer and then a BT manager in 1991. He lived in Spixworth and took up painting after attending an art class at Sprowston School.
He began serious painting in the late 1960s and was soon exhibiting in London and further afield.