DAD - 3RD OCTOBER 1927 TO 21ST AUGUST 2019

Clare Brown there will only ever be one Clare Brown. I have heard that said many times.

Dad was born in Winnipeg, Canada on the 3rd October 1927. 
He came back to England in 1934 with his mother and brother on a cargo ship from Montreal. On arrival back into England his mother got a housekeepers job, as she only had half a crown in her pocket. Tough times. However in those days it was about survival and doing the best you could for the family. His father remained in Canada and it was only in 2012 that we discovered his father had died in 1987.  As a result of that we found out he had 5 more Half brothers and sisters, not sure Dad ever got his head around that.


Dad’s life was spent working  in farming for J W Chafer who dealt with chemicals and liquid fertilisers for the agriculture industry. Dad worked with Chafers which later became ICI his whole working life.


Dad was a great cricketer playing for the local village club Takeley, for many years. He was a big hitter often hitting sixes. Us kids spent most Sunday’s with mum making sandwiches for the team. 


Dad also liked guns and did a lot of farm pheasant shoots over the years and was a crack shot. He used to keep the shotguns in the house usually in the toilet. You didn’t mess with Dad as one night when the security light came on he shot out of bed picked up the shot gun (kept beside his bed) opened the bedroom window and shouted whose there. Mum had dived under  the bed covers. It turned out to be a vagrant looking for somewhere to sleep, what a lucky escape he had. 


On his 90th birthday he had gone up into the loft to get the covers for the guns and fell out of the loft making a nice hole in the bathroom door and badly bruising his arm. So he ended up spending the day in hospital. He was a very determined man.


He also enjoyed cycling particularly in his early days cycling many miles to meet Mum. However in the latter years he had a mountain bike to ride around the village.  One day he walked into the house as if nothing had happened.  I said Dad what have you done
to your trousers?  The backside was completely split.  He had fallen off the bike into the
front bushes of the house.  

Dad’s name often caused a few problems,  as I always had to say yes it is Clare! Apparently Clare is a family name.  One Christmas he was invited by Glasswells  dept store to go to their Christmas party. So off he went all suited and booted and of course the organisers thought he was a female and sat him on a table full of females. Most men would be very pleased but not dad, after all there was only one woman for him, our Mum.

He went to the Doctor’s surgery and when the receptionist called his name he got up and she said “No not you”  and he said “that’s me I am Clare Brown”

Dad lived in FAS since 1972 having moved from Winchester. He did love it here. The garden was his pride and joy and was very particular about his lawn and making sure the lines were very straight and perfect. 

He played a big part in the local Freemasons for many years. 

He was also involved in the neighbourhood watch scheme. Couldn’t  have a better man as he never missed a trick and had his shotguns to back him up. I think he thought he was John Wayne, just missing the horse. 

He had a good life and travelled quite a bit with my mum so at 91 you could say that was his best innings. 

Life has now come to an end and he will be reunited with our Mum the only woman for him.  Goodbye Dad from the kids!!  RIP

Helen Brown