We are deeply saddened to report the passing of our esteemed friend and colleague, retired Chief Inspector Hilton, “Jellybean” Wingood at the age of 93.   We understand that he passed away today, Saturday 26th April 2025 at King Edward Hospital after being in failing health for some time.

Born in Warwick in 1932,  Hilton left school at the age of 14 and became an apprentice carpenter at the Royal Naval Dockyard. When the Dockyard officially closed in 1950, he was one of 49 Bermudian Dockyard workers who were selected to complete their apprenticeships training in Portsmouth England.  The group, incuding young Hilton and fellow apprentices Alan "Harry" Lister, Howard Dill and Neville Phillips  - all of whom later joined the Bermuda Police Force -  set sail to England on the MV Georgic on September 9th 1950. 

After successfully completing his apprenticeship Hilton returned home and worked in his farther’s upholstery business, and it was while hanging curtains at the home of Superintendent Percy Miller that Supt Miller asked Hilton if he would be interested in joining the Police Force, and even gave him the application forms.  Mr. Miller was apparently intrigued by Hilton's accent after he'd spent 2 years in England!  Hilton passed the entrance exam and joined the Police Force on 1st Aril 1955, where he started on the beat in Hamilton. He was quickly transferred to Traffic later in the year where his earlier training in writing reports during his time as an apprentice in England came in very useful when he and another young traffic policeman designed a form specially for dealing with accidents more quickly.

In June 1961, Hilton married the love of his life, Miss Brenda Morrisey, and they have been happily married for over 60 years.

Hilton had two sisters, each of whom married police officers.  Lillian married (Inspector) Gladwin “Doc” Hall, and Marlene  married (Detective Inspector) Dudley Swan. Between them Hilton, “Doc” and Dudley had a total of some 90 years service in the Bermuda Police.

After 7 years in Traffic, Hilton transferred to Eastern Division in CID, and in 1964 he was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to Central Division as a Watch Sergeant. In 1967 Hilton moved to Operations (Traffic) and the following year he was made OIC Cycle Squad. He went on to work on the Mobile Researve Unit,  as a Watch Sergeant in Traffic,  as an instructor in Training School,  in Prosecutions Department, and in late 1973 he was promoted to Inspector and became OIC Western Division. By this time he had more than lived up to his reputation as a “Jack-of-all-Trades” as he was called while serving an an apprentice shipwright as a young man.

Hilton served again as a Watch Inspector in Hamilton, then in CID, and in the Murder Room before moving back to Western Division as OIC where was was promoted to Chief Inspector in November 1981.  Hilton was especially proud of the fact that he had been raised in Somerset and lived there for most of his life so it was most appropriate that he finished his 31 year police career as the officer-in-charge of Somerset Police Station when he retired on 1st December 1986.

Hilton had been an active footballer as a young man, and he was a regular member of the Police Choir throughout most of his career.  He was awarded  numerous Commendations and in 1973 was awarded the Colonial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. In March 1980 he was awarded the 25 year clasp, and in June 1982 he was awarded the Colonial Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

Sadly, Hilton was pre-deceased by his son  Barclay Trevor at the age of two, and more recently by his sister Marlene and her husband the Late retired Inspector Dudley Swan.

We offer our sincere condolences to Hilton’s wife, Brenda, their children, Lisa and Garon, granddaughters Cerise and Elise, and all of his family and friends.

We will publish funeral details as soon as they are available.