On 23rd August 1975, an 11 year old boy was taken by his Dad to the Boleyn Ground to watch West Ham host Burnley in front of 28,048 spectators. This sparked the boy's passion for the " Clarets ", which continues to this day ....

Dad slipped away " gently into the good night " in the early hours of 21st May, aged 88. He had suffered from advancing vascular dementia in his last few years, but thanks to the love and support of our wonderful mother, was able to stay in his own home until relatively recently.

Dad was brought up on a new Council estate in Aspley, Nottingham, the son of a Boots factory girl who left school at 14, and a Post Office Engineer. His father died on active service when Dad was 7, leaving my Gran to raise two children with the help of her family. Dad passed the 11+, and attended High Pavement G.S. where he became Head of School ( 1953-54 ). He was offered a choral scholarship, on the condition he obtained Latin " O " Level, then a requirement for the Engineering tripos. He achieved this qualification by correspondence School, in less than 6 months, whilst serving his National Service between 1954-56. He was commissioned in the Royal Signals, serving in Egypt & Cyprus. He went up to Cambridge in 1956, with his £40 pa Scholarship " It wasn't a fortune, but it allowed me to keep Sherry in my rooms ! ", he often said. He would often recall conversing with Harold Abrahams, at a couple of College Dinners, long before light was shed on his story following the film " Chariots of Fire ".

On graduating, he married my mother in 1959, whom he'd met at 17 at an inter-school dance in Nottingham. She was by then an SRN at Westminster Hospital. He then spent the next 45 years in manufacturing industry, running and designing new production facilities in primarily printing and glass manufacture. He retired aged 69, following the successful sale of a Glass Company in which he had a stake.

He wasn't a clubable man particularly, preferring time with his family and in his garden. He loved his Rugby, Athletics and was a life-long fan of Notts County. Since 1975, he'd lived in Clitheroe. He's survived by our mother, his wife of 64 years, and his 3 children. He was an adored father-in-law, grandfather of 5, and had 2 great-grand-daughters ...

Goodnight and God bless Dad ... thank you for everything !

Nice words C4m, hold the memories dear

Lovely words about your special dad. My mum, like yours, looked after my dad at home as he suffered similarly to yours. I always wonder just how she managed for as long as she did.

I’m so sorry to hear your sad news.

Fantastic tribute to your dad you sound super proud of him, that brought a little tear to me this morning. UTC

Sorry for your loss, Clarets4me, but what a wonderful eulogy.

Beautiful eulogy, Clarets4me.
Sincere condolences to yourself, family & friends.

Sounds like a life well lived. Wonderful memories to keep hold of. Take care.

Condolences for your loss

Lovely words, sorry for your loss.

Sorry for your loss

Precious memories Clarets4me and lovely to read about your Dad. My sincere condolences to you, your Mother and your family.

Wonderful words
Special memories
Sorry for your sad loss

Well put Sir .

Nicely said, my condolences to you and your family.

What a wonderful eulogy my friend…I lost my dad last year at 91 years young and like you I’ll always be grateful that he took me to watch the Clarets when I was a young nipper….we mourn our loss but our heroes remain in our hearts forever….rip to your dad

Wonderful words
Special memories
Sorry for your sad loss

Another special, unique worthy life. God bless you dad.

Lovely words, RIP
.

Lovely words C4M...I lost my dad in March.

Sorry for your loss. Your dad did well with his life, despite adversity. Hat's off to him.

Sorry for you losing your Dad ... great words and a fitting tribute. We lost ours in in 1985 I was only 26 (nearly 27) at the time.

You will always have your memories and these keep people in your thoughts and bring smiles and great nostalgia.

A special man, very much loved

Condolences to you C

Condolences to yourself and all family and friends, C4me.
RIP Dad.

Great words, RIP to a fellow scaleyback.

A wonderful eulogy C4me. A special man from a special family.

My condolences to you and yours and may he rest in peace

claret wizard wrote: ↑

Fri May 24, 2024 3:26 pm

Great words, RIP to a fellow scaleyback.

The Royal Signals were his Dad's Regiment. He'd been a Corporal, apparently when Dad was commissioned at Mons Officer Training School, my Gran nearly burst with pride ! My brother-in-law was also a Signals man, serving 2 tours in Northern Ireland and also the 1st Gulf War ...

God Bless Him UTC!

Many thanks to you all, some lovely comments ....

Great words, my old Dad struggling with Dementia and a similar age. Thanks to him that I support our great club.....May your Dad RIP Clarets4me.
All the best.

A great tribute , heartfelt , honest and you can feel the pride you have in being his son and how lucky you are..

A wonderful post, straight from the heart.
Best wishes C and Mrs C from V and myself.

claretfern wrote: ↑

Fri May 24, 2024 1:59 pm

Lovely words C4M...I lost my dad in March.

Thank you " M ", very kind of you ... so sorry to hear of your Father's passing, hope you're OK !!

Condolences Clarets4me to you all on the loss of your dad. May the wonderful words you have written, and the obvious love and memories you have, help you in the coming days.
Best wishes.

Very touching tribute.

Once you lose your parents, it makes you realise you’re the next in line to go.

So the one thing to hope for is that your own family will later write the same touching words for you.

Condolences

What a lovely tribute full of memories of a great Dad my heart goes out to you and your family UTC

CaptainKirk wrote: ↑

Fri May 24, 2024 8:13 pm

A wonderful post, straight from the heart. Best wishes C and Mrs C from V and myself.

Thank you " Captain ", very much appreciated and love to you and V from us both ..

Condolences to you and your family at this very sad time. Clearly you’ll never forget your wonderful Dad.

Nice words , pretty sure I was at that game with some of the Gargrave contingent.
Special train from Burnley or Nelson or somewhere like that .

Croydon Claret wrote: ↑

Fri May 24, 2024 2:50 pm

A special man, very much loved ... Condolences to you C

Thank you GS, we were lucky to have him as long as we did ... many of my generation weren't so fortunate ! My " best man " from 1989, lost his mother Kath, just 7 days before, aged 86 ... she was resident in the same Residential home ! Hope life is treating you well, old friend ! AMR sends her love and best wishes, still in regular touch with Sharon, Bev, Sanchia and Suzanne H from our days on Hargreaves Street .. We're now doting Grandparents of two gorgeous Grand-daughters ...

Clarets4me wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2024 11:44 pm

Thank you GS, we were lucky to have him as long as we did ... many of my generation weren't so fortunate ! My " best man " from 1989, lost his mother Kath, just 7 days before, aged 86 ... she was resident in the same Residential home ! Hope life is treating you well, old friend ! AMR sends her love and best wishes, still in regular touch with Sharon, Bev, Sanchia and Suzanne H from our days on Hargreaves Street .. We're now doting Grandparents of two gorgeous Grand-daughters ...

How wonderful to be grandparents twice over Last time I saw "young" M he was about 8 years old!

I used to be in touch with Miriam as she and my mother both went to the cricket club. But since my mum passed away a few years ago that contact faded away.

I'm supposed to be getting married but I've been saying say that for 8 years now so this year isn't looking likely either Can't figure out who to invite so we just keep parking the idea. Current best plan is to just sod off somewhere and do it without telling anybody

Long term I'd like to downsize and move back up North, but probably not Burnley. If it's anything like the wedding plans then that's not going to happen either...

Gave my notice to retire early, so will officially be a "pensioner" at the end of October. Very scary but I want to live life whilst I'm still healthy. Programming is/was the thing that I was meant to do, but I'm fed up of dealing with idiots every day

My best regards to you and A. She really took my under her wing when I first started out and I'll never forget that

Croydon Claret wrote: ↑

Fri May 31, 2024 11:19 am

How wonderful to be grandparents twice over Last time I saw "young" M he was about 8 years old!

I used to be in touch with Miriam as she and my mother both went to the cricket club. But since my mum passed away a few years ago that contact faded away.

I'm supposed to be getting married but I've been saying say that for 8 years now so this year isn't looking likely either Can't figure out who to invite so we just keep parking the idea. Current best plan is to just sod off somewhere and do it without telling anybody

Long term I'd like to downsize and move back up North, but probably not Burnley. If it's anything like the wedding plans then that's not going to happen either... Gave my notice to retire early, so will officially be a "pensioner" at the end of October. Very scary but I want to live life whilst I'm still healthy. Programming is/was the thing that I was meant to do, but I'm fed up of dealing with idiots every day

My best regards to you and A. She really took my under her wing when I first started out and I'll never forget that

Thanks " Croydon " ....

Gretna Green under the Anvil sounds like your sort of Wedding ... and the Ribble Valley awaits you for your next move ...

Great words and great memories. Condolences fellow Claret