November 2014 - two funerals

In November 2014 I went to two funerals. The first was of Norman Kennedy. He died aged 70.

I will explain how I knew Norman by quoting from the Pontefract and Castleford Express of Thursday May 14th 1982:

"Ferry Fryston

Hair's breadth

In one of the evening's major upsets, retiring Labour Councillor, Norman Kennedy, was ousted by SDP newcomer, Dr Richard Sloan by just four votes after two recounts.

Gerry Byrne and William Inman took the first two places but in a neck-and-neck contest for third place Norman Kennedy lost his seat in a traditionally Labour ward to Dr Sloan.

Dr Sloan said the result was "absolutely fantastic".

He put much of his success down to people using their vote as a protest, because Labour candidates in the ward had been unopposed for so many years"

The second quote from the same newspaper on Thursday May 12th 1983 is self explanatory:

"Ferry Fryston

Norman gets his revenge.

Labour choice Norman Kennedy gained revenge and his former seat by beating SDP councillor Richard Sloan. 

Last year Cr Sloan ousted Cr Kennedy from his seat by just four votes after a recount.

But Cr Kennedy regained his seat last week with a convincing though slender majority.

Ferry Fryston was the only ward in the Pontefract and Castleford district where seats changed handsand losing his seat Cr Sloan halved the SDP representation on the council.

Results - N. Kennedy (lab) 2362; R Sloan (SDP/Lib) 2119. Maj 143. Labour gain from SDP."

I was somewhat relieved to be "ousted" as the council work was complex and difficult for me to do justice to it as I was working full time as a GP.

However, the two recounts evening was very exciting especially as I believed Norman would easily win.

After the results had been announced in 1983 Cr Bill Inman mad a speech in which he said he did not get a leaflet from us. This insenced us as we had put 5000+ leaflets out in the previous 4 weekends as well as getting up at 5 am on the day to deliver several hundred more. We went back to our house and after more than a few drinks found 3000 leaflets we had over. John Little and I went out to find Bill Inman's house and post all 3000 through his letterbox. We did not find his house!!

Norman was far the better councillor than I and did some great work for our ward. RIP.

The second funeral I went to with Kath was that of retired consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Peter Howe. 

This photo was taken in France where he and Margaret had a second home. He had a deep stroke 15 years ago and Margaret, his wife, looked after him like gold. My friend Grahame Smith (now a retired Pontefract GP) and his wife Caroline knew him better than we did. Grahame and I visited him in 2013 and we knew he could undersand us but only spoke one word. It was after I asked him whether he remembered my mother. He said "Gerda" - her name. We visited him in SeSeptember his year and he had obviously deteriorated. He did not speak at all but certainly could understand us. 

Margaret used to deal with his private appointments and my mother and I sent him plenty of these. Margaret was so friendly on the phone. When my mother died they sent me and Kath some flowers to the house after the funeral. We just did the same for Margaret.

There were several doctors at the funeral, some of whom were retired or practising GPs. There were also retired or working consultants there. I was reminded how friendly the GPs and consultants were to one another all thos years ago. This has all gone to a large extent. I met on consultant in about 2007 who told me his manager had warned him not to fraternise with GPs.

What was fun after the funeral was that we met some of the midwives who had worked with us in Airedale many years ago. Sister Mary Thornton was there. She retired 22 years ago. There were also another two midwives who had worked at Tieve Tara in the late 1970s and very early 1980s. They recounted to one or two of the naughtyish things I did in the early 1980s. I  wrote a letter to Mr Howe that said that in my opinion the patient I was referring had the IQ of a dead plant. I also offered to dance the fandango with him if another patient turned up to see him. I remembered forging a letter from Peter to me telling me how hopeless my partner, Anne Godridge, was. She used to forge positive pregnancy test results which were hers. She wanted to see the look on my face when I saw one. Once, in the very early days, three midwives came to the clinic when I only had two pregnant women patients (the practice was building up).

Peter was a gentle man and a gentleman. RIP.