Name: Dennis Brian Richmond.
Date of Birth: 4th March 1937.
Date passed away: 20th July 2021.
Age: 84.
 
Parents.
 
Father: Robert Richmond.
Profession: Leading Stoker in Royal Navy.
Mother: Florence Beatrice.
Profession: Naval Wife.
 
Brothers & Sisters (All sadly passed away).
 
Eric (Oldest).
Joyce.
Roy.
Rita.
George.
Dennis.
Kenny.
Jean. (Youngest).
 
Nieces & Nephews.
 
Jane.
Tracie, Julie.
Mark, Sharon, Debbie.
Peter.
Graham.
 
Childhood.
 
Ten family members lived in a traditional two-up two-down terraced house in 15 Bishop Street, Landport, Portsmouth. The front room became a bedroom with the boys in one room and the girls in another room. The kitchen was the living room and the garden had a lean-to and an outside toilet. It was a tough childhood and Dad had his chair. If anybody else tried to sit there, they knew Dad had a two-inch stoker’s belt!
 
During the war, most of the children were evacuated and we remember stories of Den’s mother taking a bus to the top of Portsdown Hill so that people could hide in the forts during the bombing. Den recalled sitting on the hill and watching the city burn!
 
Den’s mother died young and his father had to cope with eight children. At the time, women tended to be responsible for all domestic duties and we believe that on one occasion, Den’s father, Robert, went to the butcher and just asked for ‘meat’ to feed the family. Florence, his wife, was normally the only one that shopped & cooked.
 
As the boys got older, they tended to use the King George V pub in Bishop Street, also known as the ‘KG5’. However, in the 1960’s, Somers Town was re-developed and many of the buildings in the area were demolished.
 
Later Life.
 
He was a ‘Man of Mystery’ and we don’t know much about his post-childhood years. Certainly, Den and his family and friends would have gone to the local ballrooms in the 50’s & 60’s such as the Mecca and Savoy near South Parade Pier. The show bands and stars such as Tommy Steele would have been the influences of the day.
 
We believe Den liked the music of Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Glenn Miller. However, he was never a fan of Elvis or Cliff Richard! He was remembered wearing a leather jacket with tassels and did sport a bit of a quiff reflecting his Rock n’ Roll roots.
 
During the late 60’s and early 70’s, he lived with his brother George, his wife Shirley and his niece Jane.
 
Along the way, he met a polish lady called ‘Chris’ He lived with her for many years in Paulsgrove and supported her to the end when she eventually passed away due to cancer.
 
Sometime after his brother, Roy, died in 1993, he got to know Sheila, Roy’s widow. He lived with Sheila and his nephew, Peter and after seeming to have worked most of his life at the Co-op dairy, he finally did retire. Despite all of Sheila’s pets, he supported her tirelessly right up to the end when she passed away due to dementia in 2015.
 
Although he became quite reclusive in his final years, family & friends did manage to take him away to various places such as London, Bletchley and France & Belgium. We have some wonderful memories of those times.
 
Conclusion.
 
He was always laughing, loved the simple life and loved his whisky and Fish n’ Chips. He was a gentle man with a heart of gold. He was the last in the line of his brothers and sisters to go. He passed away at the age of 84. He shall be missed and we will always remember him.