Tributes paid to prolific Yate author (From Gazette Series)

Tributes paid to prolific Yate author Hazel Peel

12:07pm Monday 4th February 2013 in News By Alexandra Womack

TRIBUTES have been paid to a prolific Yate author.

Hazel Peel died following a period of ill health at Frenchay Hospital last Monday, January 28.

Mrs Peel, of Blakeney Mills, had penned more than 30 books including historical novels, children's stories and equestrian factbooks.

The 82-year-old, whose most popular books on Amazon included Glorious Gloucestershire, Pocket Dictionary of the Horse and Easter of the Showjumper, was said to have an ‘amazing wit’.

Her long-term friend and trustee, Carole Taylor, told the Gazette: "Everybody knew her. Hazel was one of those people that if you met you would never forget.

"She had an amazing wit and she loved writing."

Mrs Peel, whose husband Roy died eight years ago, had been an author for many years and often wrote under the name Wallis Peel.

"She started writing in her late twenties," said Mrs Taylor. "She was prolific and could just reel them off.

"Since losing her husband I think writing got her through. She was writing all the time, right up until she died."

Yate Library stocked many of Mrs Peel’s books, which were largely historical novels set during Roman times and early British history.

The funeral will take place on Thursday, February 14 (2pm) at Westerleigh Crematorium.

According to her wishes, there will be no flowers, but donations in lieu to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) c/o the funeral director TB and H Pendock of Bristol Road, Hambrook, BS16 1RD.