Vale Bill Chambers OAM
How does one describe the impact that a generous man with a soft and endearing smile, a kind nature and a chubby frame, I always wanted to hug, have on one's life?
I guess it goes all the way back to our first meeting in 1974. As a newcomer to the district, I took a girlfriend from Sydney on a tour of the local wineries. One was Chambers Rosewood. We were met by a man, sitting on a stump of timber, reading a book, covered in brown paper. His greeting was, 'Help yourself, whites are in the fridge, reds are on the table, I'm just at a good part of this book. It is banned.' When we came to pay for our purchases, I timidly asked what he (turned out to be Bill Chambers himself) was reading, to be told it was DH Lawrence's, Sons and Lovers.
A few years further on, it became known that I was married to the young Winemaker/Manager at Lindemans Corowa. Bill and his first wife Catherine came to our home for a formal dinner party, as they were in those days, and so a friendship began.
When we bought our property here in Wahgunyah, Bill and Catherine were the first people to invite us, and our children, to their home for dinner. It was our favourite lamb loin chops and mashed potatoes, and while we sat around the kitchen table, Bill played tricks with me, masking wines and asking me to comment. Bill always had something nice to say. He would gently correct me, while encouraging me to stick to my assessments just so long as I could explain my reasoning.
Catherine would pop into our winery to check how I was going, and taught me to securely pack different shaped bottles of wine, into a box, for safe despatching with couriers. I called it, 'The Catherine Chambers School of Packing,' and I continued to teach my staff, as they came along, how to do the same.
Bill, to help us get a start with customers, put a sign up in the grounds at Chambers Rosewood, 'GO TO PFEIFFERS' - after a few queries I asked the people why they were coming in and asking to see Bill Chambers at Pfeiffer Wines? I was then told about Bill’s sign. I rang Bill, thanked him for helping us, but said he really better pull the sign down and keep his customers at Rosewood. That was when the sign was moved inside so people still got to hear about us. Such was the generosity of Bill Chambers.
We shared Bill's sorrow when Catherine sadly died from cancer leaving him with a youngish family who no longer had their Mother. We rejoiced with Bill when Wendy came into his life and put the cheeky grin back on his face and laughter in his voice.
I feel privileged to have earlier this year, spent a morning with Bill at Rosewood, and his younger brother John, listening to recollections of their lives, growing up in a family of 7 brothers. Bill was the eldest.
I will miss Bill Chambers. I will miss his calm and quiet nature, his soft smile and his friendly and genuine personality.
Bill is now an Angel over Rutherglen, enjoying the Angel's Share of his beautiful fortified wines.
Recollections from Robyn Pfeiffer
