Grandad 18/07/1931 - 05/02/2013

My Grandad loved to make things and he was very clever with his hands.  He had so much patience he could sit for hours and make beautiful models out of matchsticks.  My brother and I were lucky enough to own our own sweet shop.  We had a proper counter with a parasol shade over the top. There were scales to weigh the sweets, a till and an old fashioned telephone.  Not forgetting the sweet jars and even some Golden Virginia tobacco. The sweet shop was made by my grandad and he was one of our regular customers.  I think the tobacco may have been his idea too.

At Christmas we always spent lots of time with Nanny and Grandad.  When we were little Grandad made us a big snowman, a huge cardboard tube covered in cotton wool, so we could dig our hands in and pull out surprises like a lucky dip.  I can still remember the excitement of seeing the snowman by the tree.  Robert and I used to get up early and open our stockings, we knew we could go downstairs when we heard Grandad chopping the tea, so we would tiptoe down and show him what we had got before everyone woke up.  Then he would make his famous fry up, before falling asleep in the chair with his paper hat falling over his eyes.  Later we would all watch Only Fools and Horses or James Bond.

Grandad could always find ways to entertain us, making paper aeroplanes, playing I Spy and cards.  Playing Trumps was just an excuse to make rude noises and everyone always wanted to be the dealer in pontoon.  52 card pick up was Grandad’s favourite so he could have a rest while we ran around picking up all the cards that had flown around the garden.

 

When Nanny and Grandad moved to Worthing it was always exciting to come and stay at the seaside.  Grandad would take us to the pier and the lido to go on the fruit machines with a big bag of pennies; we’d eat ice cream sandwiches and if we were lucky find some treasure on the beach.  In the summer holidays my cousin Jenny and I would go and stay for a week, and Grandad would take us out all day, swimming, bowling and paddling in the sea.  Then we would come back exhausted to find nanny cooking something tasty.

He was very mischievous and always getting in trouble with Nanny, pulling funny faces, burning holes in his new shirts while smoking his tobacco.  He could always make me smile.

Everyone I know who has met my Grandad has commented on what a magnificent man he was.  Such a genuine loving family man and I could not have wished for a better Grandad.  I have so many precious memories that I will never forget.  I will forever remember him in my heart.