Thank you

It has been a week or more since my last post. Things have been not so much hectic as emotionally wearing. I normally try to reply to all the comments on the blog but I ran out of steam on the last one. However it is important to me to say thank you to all of you who commented on the piece I wrote about my father. Your words were a comfort to me and my family. I'm pleased I was able to portray to you what a lovely man he was.

As we prepare for the funeral we have things to go through and consider, and lots of pictures to sort out. This first photograph was taken as a gift for my grandparents, probably around the time my dad went to Oxford. I'd guess he is 17 or 18 here, and clearly the model of the 1930's -40's intellectual. All he really needs is his pipe.

The next photograph is from the Blackpool Grammar School sports day in 1942. He is receiving the trophy as the Senior Champion, so he is in the Upper Sixth, although a year younger than most, if not all, of the pupils in his year. I think this must have been a Golden Year for him, - he had just got his scholarship to University and he won the sports day, - apparently by a long way. However, with the Germans pouring into Russia & our retreats & difficulties in North Africa he must have been very aware of what was the right thing to do. He joined the Territorials as soon as he left school.

I have chosen not to include any of his Army snaps here, - I'll perhaps put them in a later blog - so this next picture shows him with my Big Brother, about September 1956. The hair line is starting to go. Alas we cannot blame that on the war, - we seem to be genetically disposed to going bald. He is 31 here, having lost, luckily, only 6 years to the War and his subsequent service in the Middle East.

Although I never showed much athletic prowess it wasn't for want of Dad trying with us from an early age. Here he is teaching me how to play golf. He even has his trade mark pipe in this picture, - although my recollection is that he spent more time trying to light it than actually smoking it.

We fast forward a few years now to this one of him in the back garden of our house in Rugby with Andrew, his first grandchild. He loved all of his grandchildren, and nothing delighted him more than having them round or taking them out.

Although he could be a terrible tease with them all.

Finally here he is with my mother, my brother and me at their Golden Wedding party in 2002. One of the best days we all shared together as pretty much all of our extended family were able to attend.

So although I have lots of reasons to be sad I have a whole array of wonderful memories. Thank you for letting me share them with you.