Bernie Freeman
The first important death was my uncle, Bernie Freeman. Bernie was my mother’s brother. For me, Bernie was the last surviving relative who had lived through World War II.
Bernie went to Secretarial College in London, and was conscripted into the British Army. Posted to the Middle East, his first assignment was as a shorthand writer for court-martials in Eritrea.
Bernie won a shorthand writing competition across Middle East Command. The reward was to be posted as shorthand writer to the General Commanding, Middle East Command. Bernie was in the King David Hotel when it was blown up.
Bernie had a long and interesting life in Vancouver. At one point Bernie was both President of the court shorthand writers union, and also their manager.
The last decades of Bernie’s life were darkened by his wife’s ill health. Joyce’s deteriorating illness required constant attendance. Towards the end, she needed total care. Bernie refused to put Joyce into a home or hospice, and was with her to the end.
Trevor Jowett
Goodbye to a family friend, Trevor Jowett. Trevor and Joyce were friends of my wife’s family from before my wife was born.
The circumstances of his death were horrible. Given two hours to live when admitted to hospital with Covid-19 he was denied a ventilator because he was well over 80 years of age. He survived a week. Had he been given a ventilator he might well have survived.
My hatred for the Tories was already deep, but the circumstances of Trevor’s death have deepened my anger further.
Neale Pilling
Neale was my wife’s first husband, and the father of my step children.
I was never close to Neale, He had good qualities, and failings. I understand that Neale’s father was in large part responsible for Neale’s failings.
Neale died alone. He had multiple health conditions, but Covid 19 was the finish of him. Had the hospital had room for him, he would have died there.
Goodbye to Labour
I worked for the Labour Party in every General Election since 1966. I started as a boy on a bicycle carrying “the numbers” from polling stations to the committee room. When I resigned on 24 December 2020 I was the Secretary of Labour International Constituency Labour Party, with 3,000+ members and 20+ branches on six continents. I left because I had no confidence in the values, the competence, or the integrity of the Labour Leadership.