Unfortunately, many family and friends are unable to be with us because of the restrictions in place both here and abroad.
I know the Reverend is going to deliver a number of short tributes from my sister, Hilary and her husband, Martin and son Paolo, who are all in lockdown in Germany.
I also understand that some of Dad’s friends in the Congregation are also going to say a few words.
As you will see from the order of service, Dad was born in 1923 in Dunstable , Bedfordshire. He lost both his parents from TB when he was a teenager and was brought up by his aunt and uncle with their son Ken.
Dunstable Grammar was where he went to school, a time he enjoyed and became a member of the Old Dunstablians. I haven’t checked but I suspect Dad was one of their oldest surviving members.
In World War 2, he joined the Navy in 1942 and became a non-commissioned officer on HMS Termagant, a T- Class Destroyer; I was led to understand that he was responsible for issuing the rum rations!!
After the war Dad worked initially for Luton Education Department and taught evening classes in French. He moved on to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.
In 1948 he married mum and in 1949 I arrived. Dad was always keen to improve himself and so undertook and completed an external correspondence degree in Commerce at the University of London.
After a period with the Mechanical Engineers he had the opportunity of moving to the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators. He was responsible for everything relating to qualifications including examinations for all levels of students and coordinating such qualifications throughout the world; this was great for our stamp collections.
In 1954, Hilary was born and the family moved to Sidcup, where Dad has lived ever since. We were a close family doing everything together through our early years, except when Dad would take me to “The Valley” to see Charlton Athletic play, some great memories. There was always encouragement in everything Hilary and I wanted to do, particularly our homework!!
The input from Dad was always for us to challenge ourselves and not to be fed the answer on every occasion.
Yes, he was strict but fair and I believe it was a good platform for both Hilary and I in later life. I was always supported at school and Dad would regularly turn out on a Saturday morning, foregoing his garden, to watch me play rugby, that was until such time as I became old enough to go for a post- game pint at” The Black Horse” !!
We always holidayed together at resorts varying from Clacton, a complete week of rain, to Torquay a complete week in the sun and Scheveningen, in Holland for a holiday of famous art museums and seaside. The Dutch holiday will always be remembered for the phrase “satisfied “, which was the daily question at breakfast from the manager of the hotel said in a strong obsequious manner and became a regularly used family phrase.!!
Dad was always a very keen gardener and the garden always looked immaculate. In later years we would compare our growing successes in our respective vegetable plots, “my onions are really good this year “, “yes but I think mine are bigger”, ” but my carrots are really long, but nowhere near the size of mine” would be Dad’s reply and so it went on. The competitiveness lasted between us for many, many years turning from gardens to cribbage, scrabble and even monopoly.
I would not say that Dad was a bad loser, however he did like to win.
When Mum died, Dad was not in a good place, having only just retired he found himself unable to realise the things that he and mum had planned to do. However, after a while he started to become involved in a collection of different activities and became busy again. Dad never wanted to or could be idle. He took up watching football, this time attending Welling United, being driven to the matches by his 100year old friend from church!! We did become a little concerned for his safety! Dad would take himself off to the Orchard Theatre at Dartford as well as to plays, concerts and other events in the West End.
He started taking French conversational classes which he thoroughly enjoyed, he took up painting again, principally watercolours.
Dad would enjoy quizzes, either his own team or join others, always good for the classical music section. He was Chair of the Governors at Days Lane School and took on the role of Secretary of the PCC which he continued to do for many years and thoroughly enjoyed. His love and support for the arts was demonstrated by being a patron of Sidcup Symphony Orchestra and Much Hadham Drama Group.
Dad had always enjoyed his cricket and whenever we could I would pick him up from home and we would take the day out to Canterbury to watch Kent; packed lunch, Telegraph crossword and a good natter about the state of the world as well as the cricket.
Dad would always join Sue and I and other family members for Christmas bringing with him his infamous picture quiz, no one ever reached a 100% correct, as Ian and Shirley can confirm.!! Dad had now established a companionship with Margaret, who many of you will know and have met. They travelled extensively through Europe and undertook many cruises until such time as it became too much for Dad, he was 93 by then. They enjoyed each other’s company and can be seen in several photos together with the Captain of the liner on” Captain’s table night”. They regularly challenged each other to Scrabble or Backgammon, the scores were always quite even!!
A proper and proud Christian gentleman, strong churchgoer, highly respected by his colleagues at the Institute and all other groups he worked with or for.
A great Dad and a very special person to both Hilary and I, who had a full and fulfilling life.
By Michael (Son)
