Like many my first experience of the world of employment was with Uncle John. I worked in his glass shop on a Saturday morning when I was about 14/15, and when I say work I’m probably over egging it a bit. In all reality I think I probably cost him more then I ever made. Most weekends I’d break something and usually with the back of whatever I was carrying. There’d be a smash followed by “two ends” called down from above - Sorry Uncle John I’d reply! 

Uncle John was always making or improving something! I made a spirit level from scratch with a bit of old tubing and a length of aluminimum patio door frame! It actually worked quite well. I was well chuffed but our my funniest creation was the forward facing parasailing harness - Uncle John had got some old seat belts from the garage behind and used me as a dummy I guess to sling me up in these seat belts and get the right balance and shape of the harness! I spent most of the time thinking he better make this about a half a foot bigger in each direction or is he going to ask me to test it!

Uncle John told hundreds of funny stories and anecdotes but I’ll leave them for the people involved and look forward to reading them from their point of view. What I liked more than anything was his turn of phrase like “two ends”.

Thanks Uncle John, you’ll be sorely missed by so many.