04/05/2021
With great sadness we announce that our founder, Basil Pryor, passed away at the weekend after a short illness.
Basil was the fifth generation of his family to trade in Didcot, his great-great grandfather initially opened a store in Harwell in 1832. A second store arrived in Didcot as the construction of the Great Western Railway began. Beginning the taxi company in 1955, Basil was a licensed driver for over 55 years.
Always an innovator, Pryors were only the second taxi company in the UK to install mobile radios (in the late 1950s), some two years before the Police in Didcot began using them.
Basil was committed to working for the community of Didcot. A Town and District Councillor, Mayor of Didcot, President of both the town's Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. Rotary was a major part of his life, being heavily involved in projects such as the Christmas Float and raising thousands of pounds selling teas at Truck Festival each year.
A man of incredible humour, his tales of Christmas Carols at the Bear, Woodstock, picking up the Beatles, to welcoming Princess Anne at Didcot Horse show are legendary among friends.
Basil lived a remarkably healthy life, to the ripe age of 92. He passed away peacefully with his family.
As he would always say 'I am a very lucky man'.
