FORMER chairman of Poole Town Regatta and Carnival committees Michael Hamilton-Harvey has died aged 92.

After moving to Dorset after the Second World War he was involved in several community groups and organisations.

Michael was born in Keighley, Yorkshire on June 24, 1926.

He went to a private dame school in the town, before going to Bradford College. From there he moved to Plymouth and studied at Plymouth College.

During the Second World War his parents home in the Devon city was bombed in the first weeks of the conflict. The family moved to Plympton, which is located to the north east of the city.

Michael was involved with the combined cadet force. During the Blitz he supported the war effort by acting as a police runner.

He became involved with church affairs for the first time as organiser and chairman of the Scripture Union parish church in Plympton.

The family lived in a house near a large quarry, before they moved across the road to a larger house and grounds where he grew parma violets in the nursery.

Help was provided on the estate from prisoners of war.

Michael was called up to war service in 1945 at the age of 19 after he received a ballot to work as a Bevin Boy in a Welsh mine, however he was forced to leave the service due to heart trouble.

He first moved to Dorset in 1947, living in West Moors. At this time his career began in the Ministry of Works in Poole.

The Government body was set up in 1943 to organise the requisitioning of property for wartime use and after the war it retained responsibility for Government building projects.

After just one year in East Dorset, Michael moved to Bournemouth and lived at The Fairway, Pasadena Villa.

He wedded his partner Sheila in June 1952 and the couple enjoyed 66 years of marriage together.

Michael went on to work in the Dorset youth employment service and later the Dorset Careers service.

Alongside his working life, he became heavily involved in various community organisations across the conurbation.

This included acting as chairman of the Poole Town Regatta and Carnival committees. He also helped out at Poole Amateur Rowing Club, taking up a senior position at the organisation.

He helped support residents as chairman of the Meyrick Park East Rate Payers and Residents' Association, as well as a trustee of the Bournemouth and District Civic Society.

Michael had a passion for ephemera and was part of the British Ephemera Society.

Throughout his years he remained an active member of NALGO - the National and Local Government Officers' Association - which is a trade union representing public sector officers.

He retained his interest in church matters in Dorset, serving as church warden at St Augustin's Parish Church, which is located near Cemetery Junction.

His work in this role was appreciated and recognised by the Diocese of Winchester, who appointed him as church warden emertus.

Last year he also was honoured for his time in the Welsh mine, with the Bevin Boys award for recognition of service.

Michael Hamilton-Harvey died on Friday, September 28, at Swanage Hospital.