OBITUARIES

[PanBiker]

Johnny Johnson MBE, DFM aged 101, last remaining airman of 617 squadron "Dambusters"

[Stanley]

See THIS Biography of Lord Young who has died aged 90. He was a major figure in setting up the Manpower Services Commission which was a wonderful initiative in the 1980s for anyone like me who was attempting to do a big rescue job like Ellenroad. The criterion was that the work the MSC undertook was not to be seen as competing with normal commerce so at first they were limited to cleaning up garage sites and waste ground.A project like Ellenroad was far better publicity. I met him when he came to inspect what we were doing at Ellenroad because he had been told about us and how well we were turning the young people round and getting them into jobs.
He was a good man and what many don't know is that when he worked for Margaret Thatcher he did it free, he never took a salary. I had a lot of time for him.

[Tripps]

He was my boss for a while at the DTI. The sort of Tory that people imagine Tories should be like. I think we could do with a few like him now. I wonder how he would have got on working with the likes of Grant Shapps and Hancock etc.

This was news to me. I knew the quote but not that it had been changed.

"So fond was she of Lord Young, Mrs Thatcher once said: 'Other people come to me with problems. David Young comes to me with his achievements.' Journalists replaced the last word with 'solutions' and a pervasive myth was born"

I note there is no mention in the press or in Wikipedia, of his being on the 'List of British Jewish Nobility and Gentry'.

[Big Kev]

The actress Ruth Madoc. She died in hospital following a fall a week ago.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainmen ... 927507.amp

[PanBiker]

I was just posting the same Kev.

[Big Kev]

Terry Hall, singer with The Specials and Fun Boy Three has died after a short illness. He was 63.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64029430

[Cathy]

Gosh , so young.
I recognise ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’.
He came across as a (very) deep thinker.

[Big Kev]

Ali Ahmed Aslam, the Glaswegian chef who invented the Chicken Tikka Masala, has died aged 77.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... t-64055639

[Tripps]

Terry Hall, singer with The Specials and Fun Boy Three has died

How did I miss that - I've never heard of him, the goups or the songs. Looks like it's just me (again) My sense of inadequacy has returned.

[Stanley]

Don't feel inadequate, it's quite natural David. I am in the same boat so we can at least sing Tallis plain Song to each other.....

[PanBiker]

Two Tone.

[Big Kev]

Another talented musician, Maxi Jazz. Peacefully in his sleep aged 65.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64088168

[PanBiker]

There is always something, we heard last night that Sally's Uncle Joe died yesterday, he was 95. A dalesman through and through.

RIP Joe Iveson.

[Big Kev]

There is always something, we heard last night that Sally's Uncle Joe died yesterday, he was 95. A dalesman through and through.

RIP Joe Iveson.

Always sad to hear of a relative passing but more so at this time of year. A good 'innings' though.

[PanBiker]

Indeed Kev. Unfortunately we will probably start the year with two funerals. Joe's is acceptable as it is the natural progression of age. We also have friends who have lost the second of three daughters, the firsts a few years ago now to leukaemia and now their middle daughter unexpectedly and suddenly just before Christmas. Life can be very cruel at times.

[Stanley]

John Bird, comedian extraordinaire has died aged 86. I always enjoyed him.

[Big Kev]

Brazilian footballer Pele.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42751517

[Stanley]

Ah, been expecting that for a while. Lots of bad news about him and his cancer....

[Stanley]

Just heard that Vivienne Westwood has died. (LINK)
In latter years a very controversial figure.......

[Cathy]

Barbara Walters. Aged 93

[PanBiker]

Former Pope Benedict - 95

[Tripps]

Cardinal Vincent Nichols has just said of "this great theologian"
"The angels were gathering to carry him home"
"He has entered into the next phase of his life with God."


He was known when a Cardinal, as 'God's Rottweiler'.

It is the year 2023 tomorrow not 1523.

[Stanley]

Well put David...

[Stanley]

Thinking about John Bird and I tripped over this.....

[Tripps]

This really doesn't belong on this board, but I'd like to put it on. Very late last night I came across the news that two of my former colleagues from the NATO course in Italy in 1971 had died, in the last couple of years.

I have a picture of one of them - Mad Eric as I christened him. They say Lord Byron was 'mad bad and dangerous to know ' - I think Eric would have offered some competition.

I can try this remote picture hosting site too - it seems too good to be true, but let's try it.

Indulge me. . .

https://imgbox.com/g/h2tePxqccD