Extraordinary LiVes
DAD was born in Brixton, South London, the youngest of five. He started his National Service on his 18th birthday, serving in the Royal Signals as an operator, wireless and line, or OWL. He departed on the steamship Empire Orwell to Libya and was stationed in Tripoli, Benghazi and Tobruk. During one desert expedition he helped save the life of a soldier who had peritonitis by spending all night reconstructing a broken radio transmitter to call for help over the crackling airwaves. Back in civvy street, he worked at the London Electricity Board for 37 years and was affectionately known as Electricity Bill. He met mum, Eileen, on a double date to Ditchling Common, East Sussex, with his best friend. They wed in August 1956 and began their married life with Dad’s parents in Brixton. Dad was thrilled when they were offered a council flat in Nunhead, a few miles away, because he thought they were moving to the countryside. I was one of three children and Dad ensured we had a happy childhood, complete with family pets, which sometimes tested his patience. One hamster escaped from its cage and went AWOL for
two weeks. It was found when a rustling sound was heard coming from Dad’s cabinet, where he stored his wiring diagrams for every radio and TV manufactured, which he’d amassed over ten years. The hamster had mashed them all up to make a bed. Dad gave up his beloved pipe to save for driving lessons and buy a Ford Popular. We had lots of family adventures to Box Hill in Surrey and the seaside. He particularly liked Littlehampton, where we children picked fresh winkles, Mum cooked them and Dad ate them. For many years we lived on a housing estate and Dad was the go-to neighbour for electrical repairs and car maintenance. He was often to be found peering under a car bonnet or with his feet protruding from beneath a chassis. His TV repair skills were in great demand. The kitchen became a repair shop and the smell of his soldering iron overpowered the aromas of cooking. Mum had to prepare meals surrounded by valves, resistors, capacitors and all manner of components that glowed, hummed, buzzed and sparked. After an active retirement, Dad’s health began to deteriorate. He was a respected member of the community but most of all he was a husband, father, grandfather of six and great-grandfather of three. He and Mum gave his family love and support no matter what during their 63 years together.