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John Gibson Fouldes
(Born
19th June 1913 - Died 2nd July 1999)
Born John Gibson Fouldes 1913 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, John was the third and last John Gibson in a row - though as a rule everyone called him Jack (which he told me was short for John!). He grew up with his mother and father as an only child (and was spoilt rotten according to his wife!).
He went to Sleaford Council School until the age of 14 and worked for about a year at a butchers shop. He also attended Sunday School as a child. After this time he started to work at Sleaford Railway Station. The railway was to become my grandad's big passion in life. He loved working, riding and reading about trains. He often saw pop stars, such as Sandie Shaw and the Singing Postman on the trains as they passed through on their way to Grimsby.
He also loved to cycle. He cycled with the Sleaford Harriers, and used to cycle everywhere after work.
He was a terrible flirt
(something I've picked up!!), he loved chatting to the young ladies. He met
his wife Irene Kathleen Hardy (whom everyone called Kath) because of a blind
date set up by her sister Grace when he was visiting relations in Sheffield.
They married and came to Pinchbeck in South Lincolnshire. He worked at the
Pinchbeck railway station, then Spalding station when the former closed down.
The below picture is of my Grandad in his Railway Uniform.
He
was really shook up once when he had to take over after a guard had thrown
himself in front of a train. Apparently there were bits everywhere.
During World War 2 he joined the Home Guard (because he was in a reserved
occupation) and was often responsible for guarding mail trains - a dangerous
place to be when Spalding was being bombed!
He loved all the latest music records and use to always buy old 78's and then
45's.
He went bald quite early on and always wore a trilby hat when he went out.
He was a Baptist Church
man and worked hard for the Pinchbeck Baptist Church - becoming a Deacon.
He was there almost every Sunday ready at the door handing out books and reading
out passages. He eventually was appointed a Life Deacon in honour of his devoted
work.
My memories of him
are probably too numerous to mention. I always remember my bald Grandad who
I played cards or draughts with. A man who had lots of daft sayings like "Every
tub stands on it's own bottom". I used to wind him up rotten when I was
younger - he'd tell me off and then he'd get told off by my Nan for having
a go at me!!! I have audio recordings of me doing this to him! Poor Grandad,
I could be a git!
A few years after
his wife died (and after many bad falls) he went into a local old peoples
home, and it was here, after a couple of years, that he sadly passed away
in 1999 at the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, Lincolnshire.
He is now buried next to his wife in Pinchbeck cemetery.
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