Jane and Jon Mays were married in June 1964 at the Registry Office in Bath before they left to live in Singapore for 3 years. Jane's Mum was Doris Heal nee Plummer who was Mervyn's sister. Merv (as we affectionately called him) was at our wedding. Our abiding memory is of him with his cars. He decked his latest one out with white ribbons and proudly ferried the wedding guests to and fro. We didn't have a car in those days. We didn't have two halfpennies to rub together and I was really impressed to have an uncle who had a big white flashy car. Although we have always lived away from Peasedown St John, often abroad, my brother Adrian and sister Judith have kept us up to date with family affairs so we have always had a trace on Mrev and his entrepreneurial activities. Our son Caspar and his wife Chloe who live in South Korea have seen our photographs of Merv and will, like us, always know we had a true character in our family. Good bye Merv. Luv from Jane & Jon.

Part five, Mervyn Plummer

Well, that was Mervyn, for you…and, all I can say is, if you were expecting to get anything different from him - especially in a case like that – well, you would be disappointed !

You see, like the critics said of characters such as Max Miller, George Formby – and indeed, all those other shining lights redolent of this most recent passing of yet another gemstone of the bright-spark genre, - *there’ll never be another !

So, thanks Mervyn Plummer, for being You: you’ll be sadly missed, but never fear, for – whatever else - we’ll always remember *Merve-the-Swerve* !

By Gerry George (actor and journalist).

Part four, Mervyn Plummer

*So, where do I come in; blame the wall – not me – surely ?*

So overcome with Mervyn’s mirth-provoking, theatrically-naïve performance, the Boys-in-Blue literally fell about in heaps of laughter, and, after a few politely-delivered words of caution, finally let Mervyn drive away; their pride perhaps a little dented, but certainly a good deal more than was Mervyn’s car.

After recounting this tale to me, I pressed Mervyn, on several occasions afterwards, to tell me the truth, but he would always stick with the same story, right up to the end.

*All I know is I parked my car in that cul de sac, and went on to sleep*, he protested, *now, if those coppers were about to prove that I had demolished that wall in a fit of drunkenness, well that was for me to know, if Oi ‘ad, and for them to find out, if Oi did, wasn’t it…and fer sure, I wasn’t about to tell ‘em, was I ?

Mervyn Plummer part three

*How could I have done that, argued Mervyn, while standing his ground and facing-out the mob-handed force; his repudiating liability with a vacuous smile, and eradiating a dual expression of natural borne indignation and exaggerated innocence, as, milling around him, the boys on the beat began lifting dozens of broken bricks and pieces of fractured masonry from the roof and dusty coachwork of his dented limousine.

*I mean, officer*, protested Mervyn, * I don’t deny backing my car up towards that wall, but it must have been a good foot away from it when I parked-up, last night.

*Now, as you can all see, my car has remained stationary, in that same position, ever since… so all I can say is, that the wall must have moved itself during the night, and decided to fall on me and my car, there being no other explanation to account for it.

Part two Mervyn Plummer

Like the time when driving home, alone – after a night out with the lads, in Trowbridge, and having admittedly taken on-board a little too much of the vibrant amber liquid - Mervyn surprised even himself by shaking-off a hysterically- trumpeting, hotly-pursuant posse of police cars; his eventually losing them en-route, and turning into a beckoning cul de sac, where backing his car into the darkness, he sought sanctuary beneath the welcoming lee of a derelict and crumbling high wall, where, after switching-off his equally-noisy, hysterically- hiccupping and over-heated engine, he surrendered himself into the lulling arms of Morpheus; his clammy hands caressing the steering wheel, and his nose resting on the supportive bobble of the siren button.

Awakening, fully refreshed, on the following morning – his transfixed gaze catching the combined focus of glaring eyes of a bemused gaggle of uniformed Bobbies, all pressing their policemen’s pendulous noses up against his windscreen, and peering at him as if he were treading water in a goldfish bowl – the unwitting Mervyn suddenly found himself standing accused of having demolished a 10ft wall, by backing his car into it.

Here’s a typical tale of how Mervyn Plummer drove some local Bobbies up the wall, with an *off-the-wall* tale to topple even Humpty Dumpty’s epic tumble

Forget *Del Boy*, never mind *Arthur Daly*: you see, to me, the lovely human being we all know as *Merve-the-Swerve* – a revered and respected pal for last 35 years - was far more akin to Greengrass, that soft-spoken, equally-believable, larger-than-life character, made famous in the television drama series *Heartbeat*, which is set in similar rustic and agrarian environs to to the sadly-lamented Mervyn’s Midsomer Norton manor, and erstwhile stomping ground.

Though kind, caring and notably fair, to all who came into contact with him – and particularly in his retail business dealings – Mervyn could also fit the mantel of the incorrigible, plausible, yet likeable rogue and wiley village wag; something that, curiously enough, people loved him for, all the more, and perhaps why, being himself fully aware of that very fact, Mervyn dished-it-out, big-time, yes, until the cows came home.

end of part one

Very sad to her that merv passed away.
I meet merv many years ago at the downside pub in shepton mallet.

we use to play spoof,after many drinks,and merv always won.
After many costly rounds to his benifit,Perno the favourite drink,there was no way a man could win nearly every time.
It came to light, that merv was hidding a coin in between the fingers.
I did laugh, and to all the tails,and jokes he told me,and what a pleasure to meet such a character,and also an unforgetable one.

great, and funny guy.

Chris Brown.

Merv (Swerve), having grown up with your daughter Lisa by my side, I have known you for many years. You and Kris always made me feel comfortable and welcome whenever I stayed or visited your house. As I got older and had my own family the welcome was still there. You truly were a remarkable man and once met never forgotten. You were known by many and will be missed by many. You will forever stay in my thoughts.

God bless Merv

All my love Tammy (Jon, Violet and Iris) x x x x

No matter how life changes,
no matter what I do,
A special place inside my heart,
Is set aside for you.

Merv, you were unique in every way, and once met never forgotten, you brought laughter,light and love to those around you and they will always carry that will them.
There is a void which can never be filled, but your colourful character can never to erased, and I personnally have, and will remain to feel blessed that I was lucky enough to know you.

God Bless and Sleep Tight.

Catherine. x x