Big IF London is coming - Join us 8 June

Home Working

Just been playing with something called Remote Desktop.  A small piece of software means that you can use any computer as though it were the one at work, giving exactly the same access to network files, programs, etc.  Works really well and will be a boon if snow prevents journeys to college again or if you suddenly wake in the middle of the night realising you've forgotten to do something.  Not that this ever happens, of course....

And yes, I do realise how bloody sad that sounds.  :-o

George H Broddle

The funeral was held today for my lifelong friend, George Broddle.  Along with Robert Mason, it was my privilege to be asked to be George's Executor and this is the eology read at the service, which says something about George.

"George was born on 30 August 1923. He proudly served in the RAF, and then after the war his working life centred on the fishing industry. He worked on the docks, coordinating the supply of fish to fishmongers and fish and chip shops across the country. George was always smartly dressed in collar and tie, and was called Herbert by his colleagues to distinguish him from another George. Due to the demise of the fishing industry, he became an office worker in the frozen food industry, although he maintained a life long interest in testing out fish and chip shops.

George’s first marriage to Dorothy was characterised by love, mutual support and their home being a place where visitors were always welcome, including friends from his RAF service days. George was a faithful member of the Methodist church initially at the Grimsby Central Hall and then finally at Wellington Street. He not only regularly attended worship but was also very active within the life of the church and circuit. George held the offices of church steward, circuit steward and Sunday School treasurer. He also on occasion led services in small villages, Dorothy would preach and friends would help out by reading lessons and by singing their hearts out. George didn’t really have a hobby, in the traditional sense, as his contributions to the Central Hall took up much of his spare time and he was also treasurer of the local asthma society. He certainly became a good friend to many in the congregation and they to him. Barry de Graff’s family being such an example.. People who George and Dorothy knew, through their connection with the Central Hall, often took their sandwiches to 107 Newmarket Street and George enjoyed coming home for lunch and catching up with them and their news.

Following the closure of the Central Hall or ‘The Mission’ as it was known and the death of Dorothy in 1980 to cancer, George was less involved in the responsibilities of the church but was still a regular at worship. He later married Jean, a long standing friend of both him and Dorothy from the Central Hall. Sadly Jean died following an operation so their time together was shorter than both had hoped. George dealt with bereavement in a calm controlled way but was desperately sad at the losses he endured.  In Gwen he found a wonderfully supportive friend and helper. The friendship they shared was huge and each played an immense part in the other’s life. Sometimes people find diamonds and George did in his friend Gwen.

George through marriage became a very close friend to Robert’s parents,Joe and Elsie Mason, and so Robert has known George all his life. He feels very fortunate to have been treated like the son George and Dorothy didn’t have. During the football season Robert remembers having dinner with George and Dorothy and then, along with Joe they would walk to Blundell Park to watch the football. Indeed George in the post war period went to some away matches and attended Town’s last visit to Arsenal in the old First Division. Going to the match was ‘open air mission!’ Robert’s family left Grimsby in 1955, but he regularly spent most of his summer holidays with George and Dorothy. Later they gave a fantastically warm welcome to Daphne his wife and George was Elsie’s escort at their wedding as Joe had died less than a year before. Robert says they will always remember the family Christmas Dorothy and George shared with them in Peterborough and know how much George thought Daniel and Tamsin were his adopted grand children. Although George was never a parent he would have made a very conscientious one, He was certainly kind and always enjoyed the company of the children of ex service colleagues, the Pannell boys, the de Graffs and those of other close family friends. He devoted many hours to those children who were part of the family at the Central Hall.

I am sure you will each have your own memories of George. He had a good, healthy appetite and particularly enjoyed trifle as a dessert! He was a pleasure to know and could be a superb practitioner of being laid back. But put simply George was a quiet, unassuming Christian gentleman."