Gladys Chapman
Gladys Flora Gertrude Chapman (1927 – 2019) was born in Birmingham in February 1927. She was one of eight children. She helped out at home from an early age and, after leaving school, worked in a munitions factory. She left to join the army as a cook for the Officer’s...
Glen Shorey
Glen Shorey (1993-2019) was born in St. Albans to Paul and Ellen. He had two brothers, Adam and Gavin and two sisters, Rachel and Michelle. Glen went to St Michael’s Church of England primary school and Sandringham secondary school. When he was only 16, he did a sky-dive, raising £4,500...
Glyn Davies
Glyn Davies (1921-2017) was born in Wales and spent much of his childhood in the workhouse, first in Griffithstown and then in Aberdare. At fifteen, Glyn was sent to Rossie House in Camberwell before the offer of an apprenticeship in nursery gardening allowed him to take lodgings in Streatham. His...
Gordon Claridge
Gordon Claridge was born on 23rd January 1932 to Bertha and Sydney in Walsall, West Midlands. He had an older sister, Beryl. Gordon studied Psychology at London’s University College and after gaining his doctorate he worked as a research assistant and clinical psychologist at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Southampton....
Gordon Cunningham
Gordon James Cunningham (1930 – 2017) was born in Coventry on 28 August 1930 to Tom and Marjorie. He had an older brother, Norman. Gordon showed great promise at school, particularly in the sciences, and also in sport. He played rugby for the school and continued to play in adult...
Gordon Jacobs
Gordon Jacobs (1928 – 2014) was born in Wells on 24 September, one of eight children. During World War II he joined the RAF and after the war became a Chartered Surveyor, working for the Government’s Estates until his retirement in 1991. Gordon enjoyed travelling the world, playing golf, and...
Gordon Stanley Marshall
Gordon Stanley Marshall (1934 – 2021) was born on 30th January 1934 in Shepperton, Middlesex, the youngest brother of Norman, Ronnie and Jean. After leaving Ashford County Grammar School, at sixteen Gordon started work in a construction company in Feltham. For his National Service Gordon served in the Royal Artillery...
Graham Holder
Graham Holder (1937 – 2018) was born in Cardiff on the 28 August, the eldest of three brothers. He undertook an apprenticeship as a plant fitter and then joined the Royal Engineers building roads in Cyprus for his National Service. After this, he underwent further training and eventually worked for...
Hanna Henry
Hanna Henry (1919 – 2019) was born in Athens in 1941, ten years after her two brothers, Peretz and Eliyahou. The family had to take fake identities and move to a remote village during the war, but returned to Athens in 1945. Hanna and her parents moved to Israel in...
Harold Blackham
Harold Blackham (1903-2009) was a leading British humanist philosopher, writer and educationalist and is considered one of the pioneers of modern humanism. He was born in West Bromwich and following the end of World War I he attended Birmingham University. He played an important part in forming the British Humanist...
Harold Rhodes
Harold Leo Rhodes (1923-2010) was born in Newcastle to Charles and Mary Rhodes and had a younger sister, Maureen. They moved to London when Harold was 10, where he studied engineering. He became a Bevin Boy during the war, working in the Staffordshire coal mines. Harold was interested in politics...
Harry Mellanby
Harry Mellanby (1930 – 2017) was born in County Durham on 6 October and grew up near Stockton-on-Tees. He worked in local government, was responsible for the building of the Strode Swimming Pool, and had a street named after him. He enjoyed watching football, travelling, and gardening. Harry married Jean...
Hazel Birkby Pennington
Hazel Birkby Pennington (1928 – 2019) was born on the 9th of June 1928 in Richmond, Surrey, to Isabelle and Reginald. She had two brothers and three sisters. She went to Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham and Nella Secondary School. She left school at fifteen and trained as a tracer...
Hazel Mason
Hazel Mason (1923-2018) was born to Stan and Maud Pettitt in Birmingham where she grew up with her sisters Win and Carol. She won a scholarship to King Edward’s School for Girls, where she showed an aptitude for art. After a brief evacuation to Cheltenham, she returned to Birmingham to...
Heather ‘Shirley’ Rowland (Née Auburn)
Heather ‘Shirley’ Rowland (Née Auburn) (1957-2018) Heather Shirley Auburn was born and raised in Northampton. She had four siblings, Linda, Peter, Jennifer and Diane. She attended St. George’s School and Kingsthorpe Upper School. She had various local jobs until meeting Paul Rowland, whom she married in 1977. She soon became...
Horace (Harry) Hurst
Horace (Harry) James Hurst (1920 – 2019) was born in Llandaff, Cardiff, to Horace and Lillian. He had a younger sister, Mavis. He left school at fifteen and joined the Royal Air Force. He entered as a trainee technician and underwent his training at Llandow. While posted to a camp...
Howard Grimmett
Howard Grimmett (1944 – 2019) was born on the 17th April 1944 in Ilford, Essex. He had a twin sister, Lesley and a brother, Noel. He left school in 1959 and spent a short time farming. He then joined Dunn & Co, the clothing retailers, followed by Harrison Gibsons, the...
Howard Thomas Palmer
Howard Thomas Palmer (1946 – 2022) was born to Beryl and Tommy Palmer in Cambridge. After leaving Coleridge Boys’ School, Howard took a City and Guilds qualification at the local catering college. He became a trainee chef at Lyons Corner House in London after which he returned to Cambridge to...
Hubert Beaumont
Hubert Preston Beaumont (1935-2018) was born in Oldham, son of Cyril and Hilda and brother to Margaret. He was husband to Yvonne and father of Harriet and Oliver. He was also stepfather to Anna and Tassy and step-grandfather to Iris, Fraser and Willa. Hubert went to St.Edwards School and then...
Hugo Slack
Hugo Slack, a much loved son of Sophie and Greg, and a baby brother to Eira.
Iain George Renfrew
Iain George Renfrew (1939 – 2020) was born in Paisley on 17 May 1939 to Jeannie and Tom. He had two younger siblings, Kay and Jim. To avoid National Service, he joined the Merchant Navy in 1955. Iain met Annette whilst on shore leave in Swansea and they married in...
Ian Edwards
Ian Edwards (1981-2010) was born on May 24 in Solihull where he lived most of his life. He grew up extremely close to his mother and his father, and it is from the latter he inherited his lifelong love of football. After spells of volunteering for the National Trust and...
Ian Leslie Picking
Ian Leslie Picking (1947 – 2022) was born in Mitcham on 24th October 1947 to Moyna and Leslie, the eldest of three children. Ian’s first job was as a telephonist working at Fanum House, the headquarters of the Automobile Association (AA) in Leicester Square. Over the years, Ian moved from...
Ian Wiley
Ian Charles Wiley (1949 – 2019) was born in Keynsham, Somerset on the 8th June 1949 to Viv and Joan. He grew up in Marksbury with his six siblings, John, Dave, Viv, Mick, Keith and Jenny. Ian got a place at grammar school and then went to Lanchester Polytechnic. He...
