FRIENDS and colleagues of a former York quantity surveyor and magistrate have paid tribute to a man with “huge integrity in everything he did.”

Dennis Briggs Holman, who died at the age of 84, was remembered yesterday at a special service at Christ Church, near his home, on Stockton Lane.

Well-known for his mischievous sense of humour and active life, Mr Holman co-founded York quantity surveyors Turner and Holman and was also heavily involved in the running of the Norman Collinson Charitable Trust. He also served for many years as a magistrate in York and was founder of the York Guild of Building.

A busy life out of work saw him indulging his interests for yachting, climbing and walking his many dogs.

Mr Holman was born in York in 1924 and was a pupil at Archbishop Holgate’s School.

During the Second World War he served as a fitter with the RAF and in 1954 he married Janet, with whom he spent the next 54 years.

His nephew, David Ball, said: “Dennis liked to make the most of every day. Even when he retired he would religiously be up before dawn, walk the dogs, have his breakfast, read the morning paper and be ready to start the day before many other people had even thought of getting out of bed.

“Many people also had stories of Dennis’s mischievous and fun-loving spirit.” David said that a past neighbour of Dennis’s recalled having new turf laid in the garden. During the night Dennis carefully placed plates across the lawn and covered them with soil to make it look like a family of moles had moved in.

“I will fondly remember Dennis as someone with huge integrity in everything he did, someone who dedicated much of his life to others.”

Business partner Ray Turner said: “I knew Dennis for more than 65 years.

“He was a man of many parts, all of them admirable, some of them mischievous, always caring, always with the well-being of others in mind.

“He was a good and valuable partner, something to which Janet can testify.”

Mr Holman died on December 19.