Grant Frost
13-04 2020 14:42
wrote:
I first met Dennis nearly 35 years ago when our jobs brought us to live in Woolton Hill, Near Newbury. We lived in houses in cul-de-sacs that were adjacent.
We initially got to know each other as a group of guys (Andy Dymoke, Alan White, Gordon Hughes, Martin Sturt, Jon Rains, Gerry Jenner, Dave Williams, Alan Halewood, Dennis and myself) used to go to The Rampant Cat for a few beers and a game of cards in the back room. We would often go back to Dennis’ house after the pub closed for more beer and to watch dubious videos (which Denis used to fast forward with his big toe!), we all had to keep quiet to avoid disturbing Bev and the girls asleep upstairs. One of the outcomes of our Friday outings was the setting up of a pools syndicate (nowadays a lottery syndicate) run by Gerry which is still running despite many of us leaving the area and to which Dennis still contributed.
The friendship developed and grew to include other activities including Saturday morning golf, sea fishing and ultimately rugby trips. Dennis had always been a fanatical Everton fan, who in those years weren’t doing to well, I remember one season where he said that if “Everton were relegated he would show his**** in Marks and Spencer”. Fortunately, that was never put to the test!
I also remember his first experience with rugby when Gerry took him to Paris to see France v England, he returned home in something of a state of shock as after the match and on the way back to England the opposing supporters were drinking and joking together which was unbelievable to him in a football sense. Over the years that followed Alan and I had many enjoyable days out at Twickenham with Dennis and Gerry.
Dennis was also a renowned Francophile doing evening classes to improve his French which no matter how hard he tried still came out with a scouse accent!
With the exception of the village “Thursday Group” functions we didn’t do a lot of family socialising as the children were still young and the need for babysitters made it difficult but there was still a lovely sense of community between the families.
A larger than life character who didn’t have an ounce of malice in his body, I’m proud to have known him as a friend, he will be sorely missed. Although we hadn’t met up for a number of years we still exchanged messages via Facebook on a regular basis.
Gerry Jenner also asked for his condolences to be passed on to the family.
Grant Frost
13-04 2020 14:42
wrote:
I first met Dennis nearly 35 years ago when our jobs brought us to live in Woolton Hill, Near Newbury. We lived in houses in cul-de-sacs that were adjacent.
We initially got to know each other as a group of guys (Andy Dymoke, Alan White, Gordon Hughes, Martin Sturt, Jon Rains, Gerry Jenner, Dave Williams, Alan Halewood, Dennis and myself) used to go to The Rampant Cat for a few beers and a game of cards in the back room. We would often go back to Dennis’ house after the pub closed for more beer and to watch dubious videos (which Denis used to fast forward with his big toe!), we all had to keep quiet to avoid disturbing Bev and the girls asleep upstairs. One of the outcomes of our Friday outings was the setting up of a pools syndicate (nowadays a lottery syndicate) run by Gerry which is still running despite many of us leaving the area and to which Dennis still contributed.
The friendship developed and grew to include other activities including Saturday morning golf, sea fishing and ultimately rugby trips. Dennis had always been a fanatical Everton fan, who in those years weren’t doing to well, I remember one season where he said that if “Everton were relegated he would show his**** in Marks and Spencer”. Fortunately, that was never put to the test!
I also remember his first experience with rugby when Gerry took him to Paris to see France v England, he returned home in something of a state of shock as after the match and on the way back to England the opposing supporters were drinking and joking together which was unbelievable to him in a football sense. Over the years that followed Alan and I had many enjoyable days out at Twickenham with Dennis and Gerry.
Dennis was also a renowned Francophile doing evening classes to improve his French which no matter how hard he tried still came out with a scouse accent!
With the exception of the village “Thursday Group” functions we didn’t do a lot of family socialising as the children were still young and the need for babysitters made it difficult but there was still a lovely sense of community between the families.
A larger than life character who didn’t have an ounce of malice in his body, I’m proud to have known him as a friend, he will be sorely missed. Although we hadn’t met up for a number of years we still exchanged messages via Facebook on a regular basis.
Gerry Jenner also asked for his condolences to be passed on to the family.
