Whatever else we fail to do,
We never fail to think of you.

I am writing this in advance of what would have been Dad's 83rd birthday had he lived on to 4th January 2010. I am remembering the time in the Workingmens Club one Xmas in the 1970s when I was working as temporary bar staff. Dad was in the Lounge having a seasonal drink when I had news that he had been knocked off his seat. It turned out a brother and sister near him had a punch up and one fell over and knocked Dad off his chair. The Club Manager was so upset that one of his regulars was accidentally involved, he took action. The Club Manager had an old army bayonet oin the back which he used to drive the brother and sister out of the place. I checked on Dad and he was fine. I apologized for only being available to pour his beer that night and not to act as bodyguard. Rest in peace, Dad.

Thank's to Steve for sharing more memories. Four years since Dad's passing and he is still a strong guiding influence in my life.

Every time I see sweet peas I think of Dad. Whenever I came home and they were in bloom he would go out to the garden, pick some, wrap them carefully in dampened newspaper for me to take back with me. Words weren't needed; a father's love for his daughter simply blossomed.

Alison

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

So, we now reach the fourth anniversary of Dad's passing (on 12th September) and I still regularly think of him and some memories. I will share a couple with you, the reader, today.

We used to play this dart game "cricket" where you hit the numbers to score runs and take wickets. The dart board was placed in the living room on the wall. I can tell you when all six of us played that game for a week and missed the board, the wallpaper had more holes in it than Swiss cheese!

The 2nd story is an observation. When Dad was at a party, trying to buy your own drink was damn near impossible. He would race to the bar or shout over waving a note so he could buy the round. Try to do the opposite and you would be greeted with "put your money away, you need it for other things" and again the note would be waved at you. In the end, the only way I could buy him a drink was to leave money behind the bar with an employee, so when he tried to pay he got a full refund!

R-I-P Dad

Love,

Stephen

Charlie was a brother-in-law I could really get along with, we had some good times joining-in his 'Trivia Quiz's. (I eventually came to the conclusion that he was probably more knowledgeable than was good for him! ) Yep - I always was a bad loser!
Remember him often.
Eric.

I have very fond memories of Charlie. As the kid sister of his wife, Thelma, they used to take me walking with them around Ettiley Heath with his black labrador dog. He also took me and my sister to our first visit to a circus and made sure we had ringside seats so the clowns could throw their buckets of water at us! Happy Memories!

Time may pass and fade away,
But silent thoughts and memories stay.

I am posting this message in advance of the 82nd anniversary of Dad's birth. I still think of him regularly. The other day I was reminding myself of how he used to walk the 2 miles to Trubshaw Cross in Tunstall on a Sunday morning in the 1970s to watch me play football with the Burslem United "Ladsndads" team.

I played 2 seasons for them and in the first season I had Neville and Mark Chamberlain as teammates. Neville played for the Vale for several years and Mark played for Sheffield Wednesday and won a couple of England caps.

Other regular members of the team as I recall were school mates Rob Faulkener, Neil Powell, David Ashworth, and Steven Lewis.

Thanks Dad for the interest and support. I will have a pint in your honour on the 4th, even though it will be American ale!

Your loving son,

Stephen