TRIBUTES have been paid to a “kind and generous” Oxfordshire businessman whose funeral brought Bloxham to a standstill yesterday.

Church Street, one of the main roads through Bloxham, near Banbury, was closed for an hour for the funeral of Thomas Smith, known as Tommy.

Mr Smith, 69, who was married to wife Lena, ran scrap metal firm Smiths of Bloxham with siblings Pauline and Peter.

He was also a big supporter of community events and charities and built a travellers’ caravan site next to the family business in Milton Road.

Hundreds of family, friends, members of the travelling community, villagers and Banbury MP Tony Baldry were at St Mary’s Church to pay tribute to Mr Smith.

Mr Baldry said: “Tommy was an incredibly generous man. He was always among the first to contribute to causes and activities in the village.

“His was a third generation business in Bloxham and the numbers at church were testament to the respect and affection held his family and huge number of friends.

“He built up a very successful business with a great reputation around the country.”

A silver Rolls Royce car brought his coffin to St Mary’s Church and many lined the street outside the church.

The footpath leading to the church was lined with floral tributes, including letters making up the words Uncle Tommy, and nearby a Smiths of Bloxham flatbed truck carried more flowers.

A television screen and extra chairs had been set up outside the 600-seater church and inside there was standing room only.

The Rev Sarah Tillett told mourners: “He was such a generous and kind man and it’s his generosity, kindness and caring that we celebrate.”

The congregation heard Mr Smith was a confirmed bachelor until the age of 27 when he met and fell in love with Lena.

The couple married in 1972 and had been inseparable ever since.

In a moving tribute from Mrs Smith, read by the Rev Tillet, she said: “Tommy wasn’t just my husband, he was also my soulmate and my best friend.”

Mr Smith was born in the village and initially went to Bloxham Primary School and later Springfield School, in Easington, Banbury.

He was affectionately known by his family as Bowly, for the bowler hat he used to wear.

Mr Smith learned his buying and selling skills from his father at twice weekly trips to Banbury’s cattle market, giving him a good grounding for running the family business.

Lucinda Lloyd, administration manager at Katharine House Hospice, said the Smith family had been long term supporters of the Adderbury based hospice.

She said: “Tommy was just a generous and kind person, as is the extended Smith family.”

Ms Lloyd said for four consecutive years Mr Smith had donated a £500 cash raffle prize for an annual ball she organised at Bloxham School in aid of the hospice.

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