The first memory I have of Dad must be from about 1960 (give or take a year.) At that time we lived on the top floor of my Nan's three storey house in Bow. Dad was in the merchant navy at the time and rarely at home. I remember one day I was standing in the front room, by the piano, when this man appeared through the door. I did not know who it was, and I cannot really remember what happened next, but from then on, he was Dad.
In about 1963, we moved to Tolworth in Surrey, which I remember I was not happy about, but I do remember Mum and Dad were really happy about getting their own place 'in the country'. They must have liked it there as they stayed until 2005, when they moved to Tadley!
I have no real memories of Dad ever sitting in a chair - he always had one project or another on the go. When we moved into the house in Tolworth, the back garden was completely covered in crazy paving, interspersed with the odd flower bed. He ripped all of the paving out and built a fish pond, walls, laid flower beds, lawn and paving to create a garden for my sister and me to play in. Over the years he transformed the garden with colourful planting, shrubs and summerhouse, where we spent a lot of time as a family in the summer, enjoying Mum's fabulous cooking, and just being together. I particularly remember the hours he spent pulling clover roots out of the lawn, which seemed to be a particular annoyance for him!
When he wasn't in the garden, he was always decorating one be room or another, even going so far as to build a small extension on the rear of the house, doing everything himself, from digging and laying the foundations to the flat roof. It was not the prettiest extension you will ever see, but it did provide some much needed space, especially when children and grandchildren came round for dinner on Sunday.
The only time I ever remember anyone other than Dad working on the house was when the loft was converted to provide another bedroom. Even then, Dad fell out with the builders as soon as the structural work was done, so he sacked them and finished it himself!
I will always remember Dad for his kindness and positive attitude - he was definitely a 'glass half full' person. He taught me to be patient, self-reliant and tenacious, which is ironic, because he did not suffer fools gladly, and he never read a set of instructions in his life! Most of all I will remember him as a fantastic Dad, Grandad and Great-Grandad, and the world is a better place for his presence. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him.
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