We met Criss outside Shopmobility in Basingstoke town centre. Criss came to Basingstoke 56 years ago, on 1 October in 1968, with his wife and two children. They moved with his company at the time, Honeywell, and viewed Basingstoke as a good choice for education and employment. The family settled in Elmwood Way, on the Clarke Estate. There was not much else around them at the time, there was a pig farm at Winklebury and Rooksdown Mental Hospital.

Chris talked about his early memories of Basingstoke, including shopping on Church Street, “There were only three roads when we moved here, only took 15 minutes to do all your shopping!”

The family established themselves in Basingstoke. Criss was a Councillor, then the Mayor of the old borough of Basingstoke from 1975 to 1976. He recalled the naming of the new district: “The Sherfield on Loddon Councillor made a suggestion. Stating, if the first part of the name has got to be the biggest part of the district, then why don’t we use the least populated hamlet – this was agreed and became Basingstoke and Deane.”

One of Criss’s fondest memories was meeting Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of the AA Building in 1973. “My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting her, she was a lovely woman with a fantastic sense of humour. I remember there being security present and barriers to create a walkway, there wasn’t much space.”

Criss told us more about his background and work within the community, as a chairman of Basingstoke Charities supporting the Alms Houses for 14 years before becoming a trustee for Shopmobility. “I volunteer at Shopmobilty alternate Tuesday afternoons and all-day Saturdays, we have 23 volunteers in total. I like to keep other people happy and to support volunteers and minority groups.”

“What amazes me is how many people volunteer in different organisations. Place vibrates with volunteers.”

Alongside volunteering, Criss told us he has done lots of things in the area, including jumping out of a plane and a barrage balloon, not once but twice!

What about the local area? “People ought to look in the different areas, lots to see. So many nice things in the surrounding villages like walks and little pubs and restaurants. It’s a nice place, I’ve been here long enough to be fed-up but I’m not!”

Criss told us his story in September 2024.

Criss sadly passed away on Sunday 29 December 2024. He is survived by his wife Angela, his son Steven, daughter Jane and two grandchildren. This page has been published with the approval of his family.