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AT HIS FUNERAL IN BURSLEY ON 30/08/08 Born on a Wednesday, died on a Wednesday and here we are at the funeral on a Wednesday. According to the old rhyme, Wednesday's child is full of woe. Well that was very wrong in Ric's case - he was full of fun, even joking I am told up to 5 minutes before his departure. CAREER Between 1951-1953 Ric served his National Service in the RAF. He followed that by 25 years service as a local government officer for Cambridgeshire County Council in the Planning Department, where he rose to being a section head. From 1978-1988 he was a publican, first at the New Inn at Waterley Bottom, then in Bristol, then Pandy, near Abergavenny, Llandrindod Wells, mid Wales and lastly, as you all know, here in Dursley. From 1998-2008 he liked to be considered as an important commercial investigator. He looked in to pubs, breweries, vineyards, purveyors of any type of food and drink or any temple of fun. RIC AS A FAMILY MAN He was a great family man. He had six children and 12 grandchildren, 10 of those live in Cambridge and two young boys in Australia, Flynn and Kale who are the youngest. Ric also had three great grandchildren. His only real concern about any of the grandchildren was whether the two youngest ones would take up cricket and might one day play for Australia. SPORTING ACTIVITIES Ric was a great sportsman. In his youth he was a keen and successful cross-country runner. He cycled all round Europe and played squash very well until he was over 50, only losing for the first time to his son Stirling when he was 56. Ric was a keen participant in deep-sea diving. He was a great spectator of rowing, rugby football, cricket, motor racing and he also played bar billiards and poker. Ric loved fast, flashy, English cars. In his youth an Armstrong Siddeley and more recently Jaguars, he went to La Mans 24-hour race every year. FRIENDS Ric had a terrific number of friends, too may to count. A lot of them were young people, both male and female. He loved a pretty face and I am sure all of us, his friends, will greatly miss him. CLUBS Ric liked organised clubs and societies. He was a member of the Lodge here in Dursley. He was an active member of the Bristol Pink Elephant Club and used to go to their dinners and meetings and on their tours abroad. He was an active supporter of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and used to regularly go to matches. He was a member of the Remenham Rowing Club where he used to go for Henley Royal Regatta. He was of course also a founding member of CAMRA. HEALTH Health wise, Ric was really a bit of a creaking gate for the last 15 years. He had a quadruple heart by-pass about 15 years ago but it didn't seem to affect him all that much, I can remember going and seeing him in hospital the day after his operation and there he was, sitting up in bed with a great plate of fish and chips, a bottle of beer and his arm round Ellie. A month later he was climbing up a tower brewery in Oxfordshire with Ellie and I, and about a year after that he climbed a mountain in Spain with me. For the last couple of years or so he was also burdened with diabetes. LIKES Ric had likes - we all have likes. He enjoyed good manners, a hot tub, anything truly English, French food, Campari and soda, he loved a glass of good Sauternes, a hot curry, studying maps and plans, and of course he was a terrific connoisseur of Real Ale. DISLIKES Ric couldn't abide lager drinkers, he hated the European Union, he didn't like or understand online activities - whatever those may be. He thoroughly disapproved of bad manners. He hated dirty pubs, Australian fast bowlers but did admire Shane Warne. He really didn't like anybody who beat England at Rugby. GARDENS AND FLOWERS Ric was a great gardener. He had enormous pride in his own gardens at the New Inn, at his home in Dursley and at the Old Spot where he created the garden from a rubbish tip, his hanging baskets at the pub were legendry. He loved trees, wildlife, country views, Stinchcombe Hill and the Uley Valley which he found a terrific contrast to The Fens. He loved great buildings, particularly Ely Cathedral and Kings College Chapel in Cambridge. QUOTATIONS He had his sayings. Amongst them: "How about just a swift half?" "I am going on a commercial investigation." "More beer please." "Quiet please, there's a lager drinker in the house." If he met anybody new he very often would introduce himself and say, "Greetings". He loved anything that was wholesome. If you asked him how he was, or how he was feeling, he would often reply, "I'm incredibubble". Perhaps his favourite expression and one that has the greatest poignancy for me because it came into being when I knew him as a young man was, "Mind the bottom step". Another phrase of Ric's was, "It would be rather nice". I think it would be really nice if we put our hands together to applaud the happy, well-lived life of a good friend. I am sure you will all agree it was a great pleasure and privilege to have known him. Thank you. NIGEL CANT FRIEND FOR 42 YEARS |
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