Our colleague Bill Gulliver sadly passed away last week. If you would like to be added to this virtual book of condolence, please email and we will add your message.
"I just wanted to express appreciation from myself and from the family for the lovely obituary FIRA has published on the web."
Angus Gulliver, Bill's son
“Bill was very knowledgeable and supportive in some very tricky situations over the years. It is very sad to hear of his passing, especially as he had battled so long and hard with ill health”.
Susan Revell, Programme Manager Operations – Risk Sector Fire, Health and Safety, British Standards Institute
“Friends are very rare. Bill was one of them for me and I think also for other people. I'm very honoured to have had his friendship. He really was one of the most important reference points in my professional life”.
Andrea Giavon, CATAS
“Bill has been so much a part of my work since I first met him just after he started working at FIRA. When I started with standardisation in 1975, Bill became a close friend not only in furniture but also in our common interest in British humour, where we shared laughs, cassette and video tapes.
So many things come to one's mind. One of them that I used him as the "size-of-the-dish" unit in the TC 207 restaurant guide due to his great appetite. Before presenting it to the TC 207 meeting in 1995, I asked his secretary whether it would be too much. Her reply was short: "He will love it." He was not prepared at all when it was presented, but he couldn't stop laughing and he said to me afterwards: "You made both me and yourself immortal." An updated guide with a couple of photos of Bill eating two main dishes in Nuremberg is in the pipeline, but unfortunately, he did not live to see it - with his sense of humour, he would have loved it. And while eating and enjoying himself, he was known for the words "I am suffering for my country!"
Kjeld Bjulow, Denmark’s representative on European standards committees
"I am shocked. He was one of the most experienced furniture experts in Europe and it is a real loss, not only for the standardisers community. It was always a great pleasure when he attended the meetings and social events. Often he had clever ideas and fought for them. I admired his knowledge and how he approached problems and I learned from him".
Peter Birkman, Germany's representative on European standards committees
“Bill Gulliver made a unique and invaluable contribution to the furniture industry. His knowledge was valued not just in the UK but all over the world and many of today’s furniture standards and tests were developed as a result of Bill’s expertise. He was also a coach and mentor and also a friend to all he worked with, especially the staff at FIRA. We have lost a special individual who will be greatly missed”.
Hayden Davies, Managing Director, FIRA
"FIRA, and the furniture industry as a whole, has lost a very valuable asset."
Phil Reynolds, Head of Commercial Services (and formerly Head of Testing), FIRA
"Please can you pass on my condolences and wishes of support to Bill’s family at this terribly sad time. I will always have fond memories of Bill, especially the nice little chats that we had when he came into BSI and all his true commitment in standards development work. That’s a lovely obituary. I did not realise how much Bill knew and did."
Caroline Langdon, Programme Manager, British Standards Institute
"Very sad news."
Adrian Carter, Editor, Hospitality Interiors
"My condolences on your loss."
Pam Rowden, Editor, Panel, Wood & Solid Surface
"Very sorry to hear about Bill's passing."
Paul Farley, Editor, Furniture News
"It is very sad when a colleague dies."
Richard Elford, Editor, Furnisher
"Please pass on our condolences to the familly."
Alan Marshall, Managing Director, Blue Line
This is very sad news. I viewed Bill as a good friend, and one of the most knowledgeable resources relative to furniture testing that I know of. I always looked forward to seeing Bill during our ISO meetings, and appreciated the knowledge he brought to the meetings, along with his wonderful sense of humour. I will fondly remember the day he gave me a ride in his cherished Morgan during one of our visits to FIRA. Bill was truly one of those "unforgettable characters" that we have the good fortune to meet, all too rarely, during our lifetime. Knowing Bill was truly enriching, and he will be sadly missed. Please pass along my condolences, along with this message, to his family."
Randy Ruster, Herman Miller
"So sorry to hear the news about Bill Gulliver. We will miss him at the ISO TC 136 meetings as we continue on with the standards work. His depth of experience with furniture and testing was a great asset to all the committee work we were involved in. Bill always made us feel welcome and encouraged all the attendees to participate in the discussions. He will be missed. Please pass along our condolences to his family."
Richard Driscoll, BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association), USA
"I knew Bill very little, but the two times I met him have been very interesting and amusing. I send you our sincere condolences."
Andreas Grossenbacher, Berner Fachhochschule, Switzerland
"Sad news indeed."
Bob Panitzki, CEO, Furntech, Australia
"I am very sorry to hear about Bill. I remembered the time we had our tea in their house after our lunch near their place. He was very active and talking about his second life after he got ill. I feel sad because of his death and happy because I got the chance to meet him before his death and shared some fun memories with him. I know he will be remembered by his many many friends. Please extend my deepest condolences to his family."
Victor Revilleza, Forest Products Research and Development Institute, Philippines
"When I started my professional career in the furniture sector, more than 25 years ago, Bill Gulliver showed me for the first time FIRA's testing facilities. I also remember him driving me through narrow roads to some pubs around Stevenage. I am very sorry. Please, give our deep condolences to his family and friends."
Mariano J. Pérez-Campos, Director, AIDIMA (Furniture, Wood and Packaging Technology Institute, Spain)
"I was very sorry to hear this very sad news. Please accept my condolences and pass them onto Bill's family. He was indeed a legend in the industry."
Mark Richardson, Operations Director, Blum UK
"I'm terribly upset to learn of the passing of Bill. Bill and I did not always agree, but I appreciated the man, the kindness, the humour and we will miss all those things in the future standard committees.
I very much regret not to have communicated with Bill in our mother language! Please extend my very sincere sympathy to his wife and his son."
Jean-Baptiste Gault, FCBA, France
"We are very upset to hear of Bill Gulliver's death and we are writing to send FIRA our deepest sympathy. We wish to extend it to Bill Gulliver's family."
Laétitia Bertel, Alain Smith, Matthieu Thuleau, Frédéric Wielezynski, Eric Launay, FCBA, France
"It's very sad to hear that Bill has died. Please, will you put forward my condolences to his family. I met Bill the first time in 1975 and have worked together with him in many committees since then and also we had a lot of contacts during my time at IKEA. I've also visited his home and met his wife. The visit did also included a countryside drive, which felt dangerous with Bill in his Morgan!"
Bo Wadling, TMF, Sweden
"It is with a great sadness we reached by the news that Bill has died. Can you please give my condolences to his family. I will remember him as a real English gentlemen with a respect for all people - 'The king of Bunratty Castle'."
Tomas Ekstrom, Kinnarps, Sweden
"The news leaves me with a heavy sadness - I cant imagine how you people at FIRA are coping with it. Bill was indeed a true character. I know because the first time I met him in 1996, we tangled horns over a technical issue during an ISO meeting. He came to me after the meeting and straightened me out - gently.We have been good friends ever since.
Bill was a gentleman, a character and an engineer who stood by his principles, but above all he was a true friend. He has mentored more than a few of us from this side of the ocean and we shall miss him sorely. Please convey my condolences to his family."
Tom Donoghue, Director of Quality Assurance, PWGSC (Public Works and Government Services Canada)
"Even though we had limited contact, I regard Bill as a true friend. I suspect that he befriended nearly everybody he worked with and he certainly befriended all of us from across the pond and myself as well. That is a true measure of a man.
I had a number of exchanges with Bill concerning appropriate standards for the testing of furniture. He always gave those exchanges great thought and worked vigorously to support what ever he presented with logical theory and practical application. I really admired that kind of thinking.
There is one philosophy he put forth that I have adopted for myself and often quote him on. That is: Nearly all failures of product in the field result from one, or a few, very significant stresses that do not in themselves fail the product. But, when subsequent many light to moderate stresses are routinely applied, the stresses accumulate and cause a failure. I have come to believe and try to put into place test methods that model the stresses that occur in the field of that nature.
Bill's influence will be felt long after his passing."
Tom Rademaker, BIFMA, USA
"I always found him to be most helpful and he always explained complex issues in a way that most non-experts could understand. We have lost somebody who will I suspect be missed by everyone who ever came into contact with him."
David Clark, Executive Director, British Shops and Stores Association
"With deepest regret we received the message of the sudden death of Bill Gulliver. Bill exerted influence over a long time with his specialised authority, and thus considerably to the development of European furniture standards. I knew him as a very competent expert and from a purely human point of view. We will certainly miss his expert knowledge."
George Lange, HDH, Germany
"I'm totally astonished. Bill's death is a great loss for all friends and colleagues. I'm sure he will remain a stimulating example for all who knew him."
Agostino Agostinelli, Federlegno-Arredo, Italy
"Bill will be greatly missed for his knowledge and experience and of course his loveable eccentricity. Whether it was driving like a maniac on three wheels (intentional) in yachting gear, wearing two pairs of spectacles at the same time (a sort of economical version of the bi-focal), attempting to dye his grey beard black when it turned purple (long before Billy Connolly tried it), designing indestructible furniture from fibreboard like a WWII aeroplane, not bothering to submit his expenses for 12 months. I could go on. His legacy of furniture standards will live for a long time and will remain a fitting tribute to his beliefs and efforts. We will all miss him. Condolences to his family."
John Shipman, SATRA (former FIRA colleague)
"I was very sad to see the email from Caroline Langdon advising of the death of Bill Gulliver. I worked with Bill on a number of committees and other issues going back to the early 1980s."
David Hawkridge
"I was on leave when the news of Bill's passing came through. I knew he had some recent health problems but I was not prepared for this very sad news.
I have been reflecting on many of the times I spent in his company and I have read the comments sent by others. I share many of their memories. I had enormous respect for his knowledge and professional competence. His advice was so helpful and always available.
But my abiding memories of Bill will predominantly be the times we spent together outside the meeting rooms and test laboratories. They are too numerous to mention but include: - the trip around Hamburg harbour at my first CEN meetings in 1993 - being transported (and terrified) in the Morgan down country roads to have lunch in a quaint English pub - the many fine dining experiences which were categorised according to the 'Gulliver' rules - his visits to Limerick and his crowning as 'King of Bunratty' - the late evening conversations over a polite glass of beer (or two)
I consider myself very fortunate to have known this gentle English gentleman and my life has been the better for it. For that, I will always be grateful."
Seamus Dolan, University of Limerick, Ireland
"Please pass our deepest condolences to the family on behalf of MHE/7/-/1."
Committee Service Centre 003
"I was very saddened to hear of the death of Bill, whom I’ve known, worked with and shared many enjoyable times with for nearly two decades. I offer my sincere condolences to his family at this very sad time."
Paul Hale
"I was saddened to hear of Bill’s death and I wish to express my condolences to his family. I have worked with Bill for many years on various committees both in the UK and in Europe and have always enjoyed Bill’s company and I have many memories of his humour and check wit especially when we were having a meal with many of our European colleagues.
Bill always had the greatest respect in from all his fellow committee members and his knowledge cannot be replaced and he will be sadly missed."
Robert Anslow, Chairman CW41
"I was saddened to hear about the death of Bill Gulliver I shall miss his humour and knowledge of matters technical please send my condolences.
James Dodman
"I had a great regard for Bill’s expertise and found him always happy to share it during development projects I was involved in. He was a real ‘character’ and will be missed."
Our colleague Bill Gulliver sadly passed away last week. If you would like to be added to this virtual book of condolence, please email and we will add your message.