Talk:Growing up fast in Depression years

Walter Hughes, - my Uncle.

I was saddened when I received a 'phonecall last Friday morning (29th) to tell me that my lovely old Uncle Walter had died, after a brief illness.

As we always do on occasions like this, I sat and thought of some of my fond memories of my Uncle.  I can remember in the earlier years, when my sister and I were only  about 7 or 8, spending a family afternoon with our grandma, (Walter's mother) and he would turn up unannounced, to join us, full of comical stories, all accompanied by many 'character parts'.

Over the years, when he retired to Alicante with his lovely wife Jean, he still used to visit family and friends in the Derby area, but also on occasion, would visit family in Ramsgate, too. On one occasion, my mum and dad had taken their little touring caravan to Margate, - and then over to Ramsgate. Dad said,'.... there we were, in a very quiet place on the edge of town,...and who should come sauntering down the lane, (having a 'quiet stroll')? Yes, you've guessed it .. Uncle Walter!' Happy days. Walter was my mum's older -and only- brother. There was another sister,- in between mum and Walter- and both were very petite ladies. Walter was around 6'2" and still (he said) felt very protective of his 'little sisters', even when they were all adults. Always the gentleman, I can remember walking down Saddlergate one snowy winters' day, coming towards me in the twilight was this tall figure in long winter coat and trilby. 'We can't go on meeting like this!!' he cried, going into yet another one of his characters. Another of the many good things about Uncle Walter, was that if any of us were feeling worried or down, he had the happy knack of lifting us up and cheering us on. He was a very sensitive man and always seemed to know what made us tick, and although in later years, through circumstance, I saw him less frequently, he and Jean and I always kept in touch by letter or card. Our last visit was to Newark at the end of May, we all did a lot of reminiscing and spent a very happy afternoon, Wlter, for all his years, still as mentally spry as ever, full of information, still painting wonderful pictures with words, - and - you've guessed it - still accompanying his stories with great impersonations and going in to 'character'. We all feel it was a great privilege to have known him and to have been able to share so many happy times. Men of his calibre are few and far between. We'll miss him.