Ted Hooker
Dad, Ted, died on the 27th March 2012 followed shortly after by Mum , Ivy, his partner for 71 years on the 17th April 2012.
In the local 'THE BRIDGE 2011' magazine they were mentioned as ' the oldest sweethearts in Godmanchester' their mixed ashes are now together again below a commemorative plaque in Garden of Remembrance at Saint Marys Church Godmanchester.
Grandad
I searched and searched to try to find something to read today,
but nothing that I came across said the things I wanted to say.
There were lots of verses of sadness and loss,
the wind, the earth and morning dew.
But none of these readings could really sum up the way that I feel about you.
Most people will say you were a grumpy old man, but to me that descriptions not true.
For as long as I remember there has always been a special bond between just me and you.
Remembering you is so easy, I will do it everyday
but now that youre gone theres an ache in my heart that will never go away.
I remember staying at Lynmouth Road, helping you tinker with that brown car,
and your fantastic pickled onions, helping sort them into jars.
You helped me with my homework those times we came to stay,
and made me ice-cream wafer sandwiches, sometimes more than one a day.
Then you moved to Godmanchester and we saw you even more,
I remember my way home from college always popping through your door.
You helped to teach me how to drive
And wed go out for hours,
But the time spent chatting in the car was special and just ours.
Although with your input I have to say its a wonder that I passed,
but it was great for road safety everywhere that my first car was your last!
As time went on and you hit 90
I started to see the man other people described.
But there were still flashes of light when you let me know
that my grandad was still there inside.
I love you so much, and you loved me back, I know because you told me so,
and although it breaks my heart that youre gone I know you were happy to go.
I have so many great memories of you, far too many to share,
and forever more when I look in my heart you will have your own special place there.
Love Bonnie
ALFRED EDWARD HOOKER TED 24.11.1918 27.03.2012
Dad was born and brought up in Leytonstone east London by parents Ester and Alfred Hooker. He had 5 sisters and 4 brothers. He was of small stature and hankered to be a jockey but the reality of his family situation and the need to help with the family finances put paid to that as apprentices in horse racing didnt earn much at all. He went into engineering to earn his keep, while not letting go of the urge to earn a few bob on the G.GS which lasted with him until the end.
When he was 20 he met his wife to be Ivy Aggus at a dance. Ivy recalls the girls were all seated around the dance floor above the Red Bull Leytonstone High Road, when Ted sauntered across with his confident swagger and invited her for a spin around the dance floor. As they were both excellent dancers that was it. They never needed another partner dancing through their life together, even waltzing on holiday at 80! Last week I asked mum if there was anything she wanted. The answer was a dance!
They married in 1941 and then dad went to war. He trained in Blackpool after which he was sent to North Africa as part of the RAF contingent attached to the 8th army (desert rats) in their advance on Tunisia.
His role was as an engineer repairing the combat planes in the front line moving into airfields as soon as they were taken and keeping the planes operational. His squadron followed the advance through Italy ending up back in England in time to take part in the baby boom, having Son Alan in 1946. After the war he returned to Africa to make his fortune with Taylor Woodrow in the Groundnut scheme. His efforts to get Ivy to set up home in Rhodesia came to an abrupt end with the Mau Mau uprising.
On his return he had various jobs as a fitter/ maintenance engineer and had two more children, Martin and Terry. The two bed roomed flat in Claude Road Leytonstone was getting a bit cramped and Ivys sister Binnie and husband Sid kindly lent them 900 to purchase their home in Lymouth Road Walthamstow where they spent many happy years bringing up their three sons as well as having the odd Hooker gathering.
Alan, Martin and Terry have many fond memories of being Hookers. The parties at Nan and Granddads with beer crates to the ceiling in the hall, leaving room for one way traffic only. Uncle Frank would tinkle the Ivories all night long with everyone singing the night away, and not forgetting the cousins, many of whom are here today. In the early days sometimes sleeping 8 to a bed upstairs top to toe under the coats. A tight fit if attempted today!
A credit to dad was his dedication every weekend in the summer to drive somewhere in his beloved Wolsey car. Shoebury Ness was a favourite, with any coast or forest in driving distance a possible target. The roads then were not what they are today and each village on the way would have a set of traffic lights at the centre to delay the journey, in both directions. A frequent feature of these trips would be the lay-bys. If a noise developed, often only audible to Ted, we would be in the lay-by with the bonnet up until the cause was found.
A particularly memorable holiday was to a caravan park in Devon, Beesands, with Teds brother Albert, Nellie Diane & Keith. It was decided to go sea fishing with the boys. A tiny boat was hired and tackle loaded. Once the land had vanished over the horizon Terry, aged about 6, and queried the presence of water below the floor racking. This was quite normal we were told by the nautical experts. It wasnt until it was above the boards that Albert surmised that something was amiss. It was then discovered that Keith was the only person present who could swim! Ted and Albert paddled frantically toward where they had last seen land using the tides as a guide! And hands to supplement the little outboard motor which was becoming less effective the more the water level rose, Alan and Keith dispensed with the bait and frantically tried to bail out the water with the bait boxes. The water had reached within inches of the rim of the boat by the time we hit land. A lasting image was that of the women folk waving back from the shore blissfully ignorant to the fact that our arm waving was in despair rather than delight! It was subsequently found that tar had been chipped away from the bottom of the boat joints by local Herberts.
When in Walthamstow Ted worked for Chamberlain industries as a fitter until buying a green grocers business at the top of Lymouth Road. He enjoyed meeting the locals but not the 3.00am starts to get to Stratford Fruit and Veg market. He spent his final 5 years of working life at the post office in the West end sorting office.
In 1995 at the age of 77 Ted and Ivy moved up to Godmanchester where they have lived until this January when they both had to take up residence in the Hillings care home.