His Life History
Jeffrey Charles Hibbitt, hereinafter known as Jeff, was born on 7th August 1933 in Woodford Green, Essex and in 1938 went to Church Fields School. His Mum Marjorie was a full-time housewife and Dad Leslie worked for J F Adair in London who were Produce Brokers and Importers. He was the middle one of three brothers, Tony born in 1930 and Rod born in 1935.
Jeff’s early childhood memories were of his Grandfather who owned a grocer’s shop in Buckhurst Hill, Essex especially fly papers hanging from the lights, gas lighting and being allowed to look inside cigarette packets, and if the cigarette card was one he wanted, he could swap it with one that he didn’t want. He was also allowed to parade Granddad’s collection of sets of toy soldiers on the dining room table. He used to sleep in the front bedroom with ‘night light’ candles, and would be woken up by the clip clop of horses drawing the milk floats from nearby United Dairies, or maybe it was “Cow & Gate” in those days.
Luckily the family avoided the bomb damage which was experienced nearby during the London Blitz, although sometimes they had to sleep in their neighbours’ concrete bomb shelter. In 1941 his Dad lost his job with the Japanese company Mitsui in London when Japan entered the war. The family self-evacuated temporarily to relatives in Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire.
In 1942 his Dad got a job in Leicester and they moved to a rented house in Leicester. Jeff went to Oadby Senior School but was not academically minded and failed his 11 plus exam in 1944. At this stage he was interested in football, supporting Leicester City, and he played in goal for his school junior team. He was then “fiddled” into Quorn Grammar School as his elder brother Tony was already a pupil there and at the time they were in need of more boy pupils. (Or more likely it was because the girls outnumbered boys by 4 to 1….!) In 1947 his family bought a new house in Leicester and he changed school to Alderman Newtons Boys School although he spent more time off sick than in school. This was due to various hospital operations including appendicitis where he developed a distinct disliking of milk due to his Mum constantly force-feeding him rice pudding after the operation… His interest in train spotting then commenced as they lived near the LNER Great Central line and he often went to stay with his cousins who lived on the LMS line to London.
In 1948 his Dad’s job transferred to Bristol and the family had to follow. He went to Chipping Sodbury Grammar School and his school reports showed that he was top of the class in Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry. He also showed special aptitude in Art and French but was not so good in Physical or Religious Education despite is Dad’s best efforts to encourage him otherwise. He successfully obtained the Oxford School Certificate but hated school so did not go on to further education. Instead, his attention turned to chocolate (which was surprising as it contained milk!) and his first job was as a Junior Planning Clerk for Cadbury Fry’s chocolate factory in Somerdale near Bristol. His early career with Cadbury Fry was interrupted by the requirement to do National Service from 1951-1953 in the Middle East. During this time he was forced to turn from train spotting to plane spotting whilst he served as an Air Traffic Controller in the Royal Air Force at the Aden International Airport next to the port of Khormaksar in the Yemen. Clearly he had developed a liking for chocolate however, as he then went on to work as a Production Control Manager for Carsons chocolate factory in Mangotsfield, also on the outskirts of Bristol. An attractive young lady by the name of Janet Youd was also working there and just happened to be the Bristol Candy Queen. She was quite a catch for the good-looking Essex boy, and they married on 5th June 1965 in the registry office in Broadmead, Bristol. This was followed by a reception at their new bungalow in Bishop Sutton in the Chew Valley in Somerset.
Jeff continued to work for various British manufacturing companies throughout the UK, Jan dutifully supported him throughout his career, during which two daughters came along. On 21st January 1970, Debra Kay was born in Rossendale Hospital, Lancashire and on 3rd February 1972, Cathy Louise was born in George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton.
The family finally settled in Nuneaton when Jeff started working for Courtaulds, he then went on to work for further British manufacturing companies, as a Production Control Manager and latterly Materials Manager before finally putting down his pencil, ruler and calculator on his retirement in 1996 at the age of 63.
During retirement he lived his life to the full and didn’t waste a day sitting around. He counted himself lucky to have worked in the days of full employment in the 50’s and 60’s in a variety of industries when most things we made or ate were British made. During his earlier life and career he had travelled the country living and working in eight different counties plus 2 years National Service in the Middle East, all of which broadened his outlook on life.
He enjoyed many interests and hobbies right up to old age including:
He was always a resilient person, and on the very few occasions that he felt ‘down in the dumps’, playing his favourite recordings always lifted his spirits, especially the music of Duke Ellington.
Our Personal Memories
Dad was a strong, stubborn character, he was never afraid to voice his opinions, even if they were somewhat controversial…. When Cathy told him that her new boyfriend Gavin had tattoos, he was very vocal in saying that all people with tattoos were criminal and destined for prison….that is until he met Gavin, along with his 2 full sleeves of tattoos. Turned out that he rather liked Gavin, and when questioned about his earlier comments, his response was “Well…you can barely notice them!”
Childhood holidays were always entertaining….from climbing mountains in Wales, yes he made Mum walk all the way up Mount Snowdon in kitten heels; caravan holidays with Grandma and Granddad Hibbitt in Weymouth, and potholing in Derbyshire….particularly when Debbie got stuck halfway through a cave, with Mum and Dad pulling at the front end, and Cathy sent back in again to push from the back, there was never a dull moment!
Cathy enjoyed her Saturday lunches with him where together they put the world to rights….particularly as she was vegetarian and when he wasn’t looking always stole one of the dumplings from his beef stew! He always pretended not to notice, then offered her the other one.
He was always happy (well sometimes reluctant) to wear the clothes that Mum bought for him to wear….often from the local charity shops, especially his blue sweatshirt which was emblazoned with the logo of the local middle school. Much to the amusement of the local delivery driver whose comment was “Aren’t you a bit old to go there mate??”
We had great days out on the steam railways (or should that be pub crawls along the river in between stations?) On one occasion we almost missed the last train back as we didn’t anticipate the length of the walk along the river to the station, not to mention the effects of a large Sunday lunch and intoxicating liquor. On the other hand, six free shots of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur were most welcomed by Debbie and Cathy as a token gesture from the Great Central Railway who had served us mouldy butter with our bread rolls!
Debbie gained her love of the outdoors and wildlife from lots of local walks and days out around the country with Dad, Mum, Cathy and other family members. She particularly remembers many happy days with our cousins having picnics between cars in the pouring rain at Bradgate Park, and poor cousin Viv tripping over cousin John’s legs on the boardwalk at Market Bosworth Country park and falling head first into the duckpond.
Jan remembers and loved all the holidays in Ireland, naturally Dad loved but probably didn’t remember all the pubs on all the holidays in Ireland… Especially the one where Dad, Debbie and Ian went out in the beer garden after hours, the pub closed without realising they were still out there and they got locked in the garden and nearly had to spend the night in an old red telephone box. The telephone box didn’t actually have a working telephone in it so some creative thinking was required to extricate themselves from this one requiring a bit of hedge hopping and a lot of swearing! The luck of the Irish prevailed however and they were eventually reunited with Jan and Jean.
He was a keen gardener and spent many hours outside at home and on his allotment. Debbie fondly remembers hours of work on her hands and knees planting row upon row of seed potatoes, whilst Steve remembers being given all the prickly jobs balancing up a ladder with a chainsaw whilst constantly being asked to prune the Holly tree. When the allotment proved too difficult to manage, Dad kindly said to Mum “Don’t worry, WE’LL grow vegetables in the garden instead” which roughly translated meant “Mum will now be on her hands and knees growing vegetables in the garden with Dad supervising”.
He had an amazing sense of humour and loved watching comedies on TV. We remember him spending many a happy hour laughing away to Dad’s Army, Steptoe & Son, Rising Damp and The Two Ronnies. Without a doubt he would have gone in to Granddad’s shop in Essex and asked for “four candles”.
He devoted a great deal of time, energy, and care to his family and would like to be remembered as someone who lived life to the full. He was a calm-natured selfless man, a true gentleman and we can’t thank him enough for sharing his life with us and making us the people we are today.
But above all we remember him as being the most generous, considerate and loving Husband, Dad, and Father-In-Law anyone could wish for. Thank you for everything you did for us, we love you very much, rest in peace.
Jan, Debbie, Cathy, Steve & Gavin xxx
