Organist Willie Poole has died in Pietermaritzburg aged 94. Until he became too frail to play a few months ago, he had played the organ in St George’s Garrison Church in Pietermaritzburg since he was 18 – clocking up an unbroken period of 76 years. He is believed to be the longest serving organist in the Anglican Communion worldwide.

One of the oldest surviving old boys of Maritzburg College, Willie Poole was made a member of the Order of Simon of Cyrene last year.