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| Notices and announcements placed by btmrstaff.co.uk members |
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| From: Bill Tinning | Posted: 15-10-2021 |
 | | Sue Tinning has brewed her last pot of tea |
| |  Bill Tinning wrote to us regarding the sad death of his Wife Sue.
Sue's funeral has already taken place, Bill sent us these heartfelt thoughts about Sue.
It is with great sadness I am advising you of the passing of my beautiful wife and lifelong GPO to BT employee Sue Tinning. She passed away peacefully on 7th September this year with all the members of her close family around her. She fought a 5-year battle with bone cancer that started in her right shoulder and over the years took her right arm and shoulder then carried on by spreading into her head and spinal column.
Three months ago, she lost a lot of her remaining abilities including drinking her favourite tea. She changed to frozen lollipops but still stayed happy most of the time and never lost her smile - although it became a little crooked. She finally left us with no sound but with a half-smile of contentment!
Throughout her illness including the Pandemic, Queenscourt Hospice in Southport, The Christie and RJAH Oswestry have helped her with pain relief, advice, and operations so she could have a life as normal as possible and she spent her last night in the hospice after her final 3 months living at home under my care with support from the family and a choir of District Nurses and Carers.
Sue was 73 when she passed away and only ever worked for the GPO to BT combo with breaks to have and raise her two young children, a nasty divorce, a severe eye problem, some minor illnesses and finished working for BT early to look after our elderly parents.
She was born Susan HORROCKS in 1948 and raised in Bacup until she left school and became a GPO telephonist on manual exchanges around Rochdale and the Rossendale Valley from 1963 to 1966. She married her childhood sweetheart Stewart BARNES in 1966 and they had 2 children Antony and Victoria. She divorced him in 1978 and it was during this divorce that she met her future second husband Bill TINNING and started a 14-year courtship before getting married for both their second times in 1992.
Sue often talked fondly about her life as a telephonist in different places around Lancashire and Greater Manchester with different operating roles including competing in the 'Speaking Clock' competition. However, I know she hit her most enjoyable high spot as a Clerical Assistant in the MAC in Dial House. She was really upset when circumstances had her leave the MAC but her other career took precedent.
Sue was always a nice and caring person to any and everyone, the perfect Nana to her own 5 grand and 3 greatgrandkids and any other child that she came across. Me and lots of other people have benefited from it over the years and suddenly elderly family had some problems, so she left to become a carer for the people she loved and had begun to need her assistance.
Neither Sue nor I were highly religious, and Sue always wanted us to be together and be remembered as the happy couple we always were. She was cremated on 20th September and her ashes returned to our home, so we are together again. She will stay with me until my time comes and my will has instructions on how and where we will reside together forever along with our recently cremated 19 years old cat for our pet again.
Even though Sue said that she didn't want a fuss, we are having one now so that me, our family and you can celebrate her life and fabulous personality. Everyone who knew Sue is welcome to the Ellis Suite in our new Community Centre in Hesketh Bank on Sunday 31st October between 1 PM and 6 PM for as long or as short as you like, and it would be a delight to hear any of the many stories about knowing or working with Sue and 'the good old days' we all enjoyed.
We are calling her occasion ' A Celebration of Sue's Life' because Sue was always a happy lively soul and to remember her any other way is still too upsetting for words. We would prefer everybody who comes to dress casually, as far from funereal as you can manage please.
Like many other cancer patients Sue had a lot of day-to-day problems with pain that were sorted by Queenscourt Hospice and The Christie without big advertising budgets and who would benefit from any donations rather than buying flowers or cards for Sue.
The Ellis Suite holds 120 people with plenty of seating and tables. It also has a bar, kitchen and inside toilets, and for the infirm among us it has wheelchair access and facilities. There are unlimited car parking facilities adjacent to the centre with easy access.
It is proposed to be a Hotpot and Brown Ale affair but other sustenance will be available and Sues favourite music will be playing in the background.
Sue will be there with us 'enjoying' the atmosphere from within her box in a secluded, well-guarded spot so anyone can say goodbye and everything else is set for a good 'DO' or 'SEND OFF' for her as we say in Lancashire.
You can find more details about the Brand New Hesketh Bank Community Centre online but basically the postcode is PR4 6SR and it's on Station Road.
And finally, the usual Covid warning but my style! We are still living in very dangerous times especially for oldies like me and my fellow country bumpkins and I would beseech anyone planning to join us NOT to come if there is any reason you should not MINGLE, and when hopefully you do join us, please respect everybody's right of protection.
Yours truly
Sue's favourite man, still with a full white beard but now moist eyes forever.
Bill Tinning
Bill forwarded his mobile number if anyone wants to get in touch directly please post a comment or get in touch via our contacts page. |
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|  2 comments posted by: Geoff Turner, Susan Gregory, |  |
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| From: Dave Shear | Posted: 6-10-2021 |
 | | The Sad loss of Henry Jepson |
| | I have known my good friend Henry for all of my BT career. He died at the end of August peacefully at home with his family. Henry worked all of his BT life on the ground floor carrier carrier station in Dial House.When I was a teenager I joined the POEU committee when Henry was the Branch Chairman. I became Editor of the Union Mag and Branch Organiser, a naive young man, but Henry became my mentor and coached me in the dark arts of politics.
Through our careers within the business we kept bumping into each other, Henry became Secretary of the local IBTE and was very involved with the regional golf club.
Finally I became Henrys boss but our friendship blossomed through mutual respect. Since our retirement in 1993 I have kept in touch with Henry and his family and will offer my continuing support to his wife Norma.
He was a good man, intellectual with his heart set in the common good.
RIP Henry |
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| 3 comments posted by: Stephen Corless, Andrew Hurley, Jan Mikosek, | |
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| From: Dave Shear | Posted: 6-10-2021 |
| | Sad loss of Frank Harris |
| | I am so sorry to advise our shrinking following that I have been advised by Franks wife who is also very poorly that Frank died last Christmas 2020. Frank spent most of his career on the Telex 2VF audio carrier in York Street. For many years Frank was an active member of the POEU and served as Vice Chairman and a Committee Member for several years. He was as some others a voice of reason in some turbulent trade union years.
RIP Frank
Dave Shear |
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| From: Graham Whiteside | Posted: 26-9-2021 |
 | | Farewell Stuart Ormson |
| | Bernard Willacy contacted us with the sad news of Stuart's death.
Stuart a TO on power maintenance passed away on Friday evening.
Further details to follow |
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| From: Graham Whiteside | Posted: 15-9-2021 |
 | | Farewell John Foley |
| | Glynn Fletcher contacted us with the sad news of John's passing.
Just heard John Foley has died. John was on transmission construction in Manchester South.
He was an ex-fireman hence his nick-name Fireman Foley. He was very much into amateur dramatics at New Mills Art Theatre.
No funeral details yet.
Glynn Fletcher Fleck
Check back later for funeral details. |
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| 2 comments posted by: Alfred Brown, Alan Jones, | |
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| From: Graham Whiteside | Posted: 29-9-2021 |
 | | Farewell Bill Wade |
| |  Mike Norris posted this sad message on Whatsapp.
Very Sad News Gentlemen.
For the many people that knew him, Bill Wade sadly died suddenly this morning on arrival at an Airport in Spain. He was with his wife. They had both recently recovered from COVID. Cause was probably a Heart Attack which unbelievably was what happened to his great friend Howard Nixon a few years ago at Old Trafford where they attended matches together. RIP Bill.
Update from Bill Heavey
Funeral details:
Monday 4th Oct at 2:30pm
Radcliffe Crematorium
Cemetery Road - Access via Greenbank Road
Radcliffe
M26 4EU
Family flowers only, donation's to Guide Dogs For The Blind. |
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| 7 comments posted by: Stephen Corless, Glynn Martin, Ken Monaghan, Roger curran, Marshall Scrivens, Bob Bromley, Glynn Martin, | |
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| From: Graham Whiteside | Posted: 30-8-2021 |
| | Farewell Keith Davies |
| |  Paul Shaw has been in touch about the death of Keith.
Hi, you may know but Keith collapsed and died suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday in Llandudno where he now lives.
Post mortem to be held and further info next week.
Paul.
Paul has now sent through the funeral Details:-
Thursday 2nd September at 12:30
Colwyn Bay Crematorium
Glan y Wern Road
Mochdre
Conwy
LL28 4YL
And afterwards:
The Lilly Hotel
West Parade
Llandudno
Conwy
LL30 2BD
The chapel at the crematorium and accommodate up to 100 at the moment. I would imagine that there is also outside space available for further people.
For those who wish to watch the service via video stream please use the link below with the login details.
Obitus: watch.obitus.com
Username: qoxe4280
Password: 525424 |
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| 1 comment posted by: Jan Mikosek | |
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| From: Bill Lewis | Posted: 17-8-2021 |
 | | Recognise this man? |
| |  One for 'dial houses', is this who I think it is? |
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| 1 comment posted by: John Regan | |
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| From: Graham Whiteside | Posted: 4-8-2021 |
| | Farewell Neil Chorley |
| |  Jim Perkins got in touch with the sad news of Neil 'Angel' Chorley's death. Jim wrote a very personal account of his friendship with Neil over many years.
I first met Neil when we both ended up in the Training Manager's office for being late on our very first day at work - we'd both rode to work on our motorbikes and hadn't been able to get to Portland Street on time, so missed our induction. Whilst sat waiting for a rollicking, we introduced ourselves to each other before continuing to discuss the top speed of our bikes, mine a Triumph and his a Royal Enfield, before concluding that neither was quite quick enough!
This debate would continue for a number of years, as we both entered production motorcycle races in the 80's with Neil performing very well around the IOM road racing circuit.
Neil was a bit of a rebel when he first signed up with Post Office Telecommunications straight from school, so he was consigned to telephone kiosk maintenance duties out of Crossley Street Garage in Gorton following those first three apprenticeship years and the block release courses at Openshaw, where some might remember him from. During his time at college, he'd managed to gain something of a reputation for being a Hell's Angel basically, because he had a motorbike and hence the nickname, but he was never an official member.
The closest he came was when one of the local chapter members demanded that Neil let him ride his beloved Triumph Tiger 110 now a 650cc chopper with extended forks, up a ramp that had been placed in the street and on top of a barrel. Rather than let somebody else take his bike from him, Neil elected to do the stunt himself and so ended up in hospital with concussion, having lost all of his front teeth when the bike smashed into the ground!
We're pictured here shortly after his infamous jump with his new Norton!!! whilst camping out in a muddy Snowdonia field, February 1974 on the Dragon motorcycle rally, North Wales. You can probably tell that we weren't really the kind of lads to appreciate the Sweet but they really rocked the Winter Gardens in Blackpool at the POE Union's Christmas do in '72ish, and we were there when it all kicked off...
Neil back row, top left on team photo was always trying to organise events in those days and he obtained some company sponsorship to set up Crossley Rangers FC, playing in the Manchester Publicity League on Saturday mornings straight off the back of a late Friday night out. It was a team mixed with friends and colleagues including Gaz McGraw Blackfriars Exchange, back row 5th from the left Paul 'Jethro' Williams a great lad RIP- bottom right and me bottom left.
The home ground was close to the Crossley Street garage, which was quite handy for those of us that could be bothered to go training straight after work.
Neil had always been a reds supporter and I'm a blue but that didn't stop us going to the Man U away leg with St Etienne in France, September 1977 where we found ourselves right in the middle of some infamous crowd trouble - https: youtu.be Q1KjaqAT3Sg?t=206 it's probably not a claim to fame that anybody would like to make, but we were there when it all kicked off - again! We were actually heading down for a camping holiday in Saint Tropez on the south coast and were lucky not to get banged up on the night of the match - San Trop was lovely by the way but bloody expensive.
Neil left Manchester Central POTS after a fairly short career, having studied with the Open University to obtain his degree in computing. He eventually joined an American CAD company, Calma and commenced his training with them in Sunnyvale, California - a step up from the training schools in Didsbury and Stone in Staffs, though his actual workplaces were back here in the UK, with one being just down the road at GEC in Trafford Park. He was a really clever lad and very single minded at that time in his life, so whatever he turned his hand to, he'd do it really well and with great enthusiasm.
After leaving Calma in the 80's, he started up his own business, AC Computers in Wigan, providing LAN networks and SAGE accountancy training with his partner Val. They both worked hard for many years and enjoyed a great deal of success before selling up and retiring to their barn conversion in St Helens.
Unfortunately, Val passed away from Covid earlier this year and Neil was to follow within a few months, succumbing to pnuemonia on July 18th.
Friday 6th August at 12:20
Eccles Crematorium
716 Liverpool Road
Eccles
M30 7LW
Jim went on to say:-
I believe that there are no restrictions on the numbers to be allowed into the chapel, but I also understand that there won't be any kind of a gathering afterwards due to family illness. RIP Neil. |
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| 1 comment posted by: Alan Cooney | |
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| From: Graham Whiteside | Posted: 29-7-2021 |
| | Farewell Terry Goodwin |
| |  Jeff Horsfall contacted us with the sad news of Terry's passing.
It is with great sadness that I have to advise that Terry Goodwin passed away last weekend 4th July 2021. Terry was 68 years old and had had a couple of health problems of late.
He worked around the Macclesfield South Manchester area on Subs Apparatus and Line duties, PABX Maintenance and in his latter years with Openreach as a Customer Service Engineer.
He was based and lived in Congleton. He left BT approx 8-10 years ago and worked for a while as a Domestic Refuse Attendant. One of his main hobbies was fishing.
Terry's funeral will be on:-
Wednesday 21st July at 11:00am
Birches Remembrance Park and Crematorium
Birches Lane
Lostock Green
Cheshire
CW9 7SU
www.birchesremembrance.co.uk
For more information
Telephone 01565 748211
Email birches@allfaithsuk.com
As all social distance measure should have ended I am assuming everyone, who wants to, can attend and pay their respects. |
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