I am delighted to have had the lifelong friendship of Geoffrey and the following is a tribute to him.
Geoffrey and Television
Many people of a certain generation would have known Geoffrey Howard who lived at Priding for half a century and cycled the lanes of all the Severnside villages. I am sure he would not mind me telling a tale about him. In the 1970’s- 1980’s Geoffrey had no television and was hostile against it using terms such as”The idiot’s lantern”.
Infrequently the licensing authority would write to him stating they had no record of a licence at his premises and he could be prosecuted should he be operating a television. This would bring about the most amazingly hilarious response in the form of a letter suggesting they may wish to delay any such action.
I flirted with very early satellite television which gave me access to most Pan European channels of the time. When Geoffrey discovered this and as a keen cyclist he put away all of his inhibitions and would park himself on our sofa for the entire Tour de France on one of the Canal Plus channels in French. Once the tour had finished he would return to his opposition to the medium.
Many years later he was hospitalised for a short while and when I visited him with the statutory grapes and magazines he was in a side ward and a television was blaring the most rubbish soap anyone could find.
“Hello Geoff.. How are You?”
“He replied…”have you seen this programme…This woman’s having an affair with that man’s son and her husband thinks the forthcoming baby is his….”
It gave a whole new meaning to catch up TV.
Upon his recovery to Priding he announced “ I think we need a television”. “We… I already have a television”
Just by chance I was offered an old very large colour set which would suit him fine.
I installed it and told him he now needed to get a licence.
No he replied “I am old enough not to need a licence”
Listen Geoffrey..” You need a licence.. you may not have to pay for it but you need a licence”
“Well I am not getting one” was his response.
I answered “ If you are in Leyhill Prison for not having a licence do not expect me to come and visit you.”
A week or two later I met his neighbour who worked in Frampton Post office at the time and I told her the story.
“Oh that is strange” she replied. “He came in last Monday and got a licence!”
Geoffrey’s end days were spent in Henlow Court care home in Dursley. As soon as I got him settled in, the first thing I bought him was a nice new television.
Geoffrey’s Piano
To continue with Geoffrey Howard of Priding
His Piano!
Geoffrey’s Grandfather was a from a family of piano makers from Germany in a little town in the North East very close to the Polish Boarder.
Geoffrey’s grandmother worked in a music shop in Nottingham, England and Grandad as a young man was on a sales tour of English shops trying to get them to stock their pianos. Not wanting to go home empty handed he married Geoffrey’s Grandmother and she went to live in Germany. She gave birth to Geoff’s Uncle and was pregnant with Geoffrey’s Father but got fed up with living in Germany so left her husband and came back to the UK…but…BUT brought with her two pianos.
Upon her death her two sons each inherited a family piano apiece. After Geoffrey’s Father died he inherited the Family Piano.
Come forward fifty years and we have to clear out Riverside and it was important his piano was not destroyed. Very fortunately a chance conversation about the story to a family fried revealed her daughter was looking for a piano. SORTED Madam yours for free…can you collect!
Very fortunately Geoffrey knew the lady who was going to be the recipient so it ended exceptionally well.
Goto: Goodmans Bakery Framilode
