TRIBUTES have been left to a “generous” grandfather, former magistrate and charity chairman.

Peter Jones passed away peacefully in Great Western Hospital last month, surrounded by family.

The 86-year-old’s Old Town funeral was attended by dozens of mourners – brought together by the Old Town man’s huge array of interests.

Northampton-born Peter was known by many in the town as the longstanding president of Swindon Amateur Light Operatic Society (SALOS).

But the father-of-three also served as a magistrate and chairman of the bench for several decades and was heavily involved with Christ Church, Old Town, the Swindon Rotary and Freemasons.

Caring for his son Brynley, who was born with Downs Syndrome, also sparked a longstanding connection with the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool.

Daughter Christina Williams, 59, of Toothill, praised her father as a “very kind” man. “He was so nice, everybody liked him,” she said.

“He had a heck of a life. He always said he wanted to do as much as he could – and he certainly managed it.

“My husband absolutely adored him. He said my dad was the nicest man he’d met.”

A keen traveller, Peter took his young family on holidays across Europe – visiting then exotic locations like Norway and the Italian coast.

In later years, he was quietly proud to have been travelling on an Argentinian ship forced to issue a mayday call while sailing off Cape Horn.

“There was a terrific storm,” Christina said. A glass nose on the ship’s tip smashed and, in the ensuing evacuation, a woman broke her arm.

Peter’s daughter said: “He didn’t seem to make a fuss of things at the time. But afterwards I think he was quite proud, because he was in the throes of a mini-disaster.”

An estimated 300 people crammed into Christ Church last month for Peter’s funeral, taken by long-time friend Margaret Williams.

Margaret, who travelled to Sri Lanka and the Middle East with Peter on church holidays, said: “He was very good company. He had a good sense of humour and he was always interested in what you had to say.”

Born in Northampton, Peter left school at 14 – the same age he went on his first date with Margaret, the woman who would become his wife.

He joined building firm Wilson Homes, starting as an office junior charged with buying his colleague’s cigarettes.

Non-smoker Peter worked his way up, moving to Wilson Homes’ Swindon office in 1959. He ended his career an area manager.

The dad-of-three’s building background would prove beneficial to the causes he supported. Peter helped build Christ Church’s old community centre at the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool.

Creative in more ways than one, Peter trod the boards with SALOS for 35-years – before retiring from the club aged 85.

In 2015, when he hung up his opera hat, Peter advised his replacement as president of the society: “Never give up, always be yourself.”

Peter is survived by his two daughters and eight grandchildren.