Born in
Windsor, Berkshire, England, Chilver learned to play the piano as a schoolboy before taking up the guitar. He left school at 16 to work as a draughtsman, but he formed a band to play on weekends at
Skindles Hotel near
Maidenhead Bridge. He became known as a performer during the
Second World War, at first in
Maidenhead and
Slough, but then also in London with bands including those of
Johnny Claes,
Teddy Foster, and
Jimmy Mesene. During this time Chilver also played with visiting American musicians serving in the military, such as
John Lewis,
Kenny Clarke, and
Art Pepper. In 1946, Chilver joined
Ray Ellington, In 1949, he was with
Ronnie Scott and
Johnny Dankworth in Alan Dean's Beboppers. In 1950, Chilver married Norma Domenico, the sister of Lydia MacDonald (a singer for Ted Heath), and ceased playing professionally. He moved to Scotland in that year and managed a hotel in
North Berwick and also a jazz venue and restaurant in
Edinburgh. He died in Edinburgh in 2008 at the age of 83. ==References==