George Herbert Nobbs 1936 - 2021
From the Parish News – December 2021.
It was with sadness that many relatives and friends gathered to attend the funeral of George who died following a battle with Pancreatic Cancer on 25th September aged 85 years. The service was conducted by Rev. Chris Hutton, assisted by Chris Whipps who read the eulogy. George's grandson Sam Collier read a tribute to his grandfather.
George was born in Denton on 2nd July, 1936, son of Herbert and Emma who lived at 4, Trunch Hill, which made George the oldest “native” resident in the village. His mother Emma, known as Lizzie, was the daughter of Mr and Mrs. Charles Rodwell who lived at Mill House, Darrow Green Road. Lizzie was a well known member of the village; she and Herbert moved in their later years to a bungalow in Globe Close.
In 1941, at the age of 4 years, George was taken ill with suspected Diphtheria and was taken to the isolation hospital in Dereham. He was later diagnosed with Croup, associated with Tonsillitis, and was taken off the danger list. He was discharged after almost a month away; meanwhile the only contacts with his parents were by daily postcards sent by the Matron.
He was educated at Denton School with others of his generation such as Michael Hanner, and Geoffrey Fairhead. At sports he was very proficient at the Long Jump and received several certificates. He left school at 14, and for a while, as a teenager, did a village delivery service for Alfred Battell at Denton shop on an old trade bicycle. When he reached 18 years he enrolled in the RAF, in spite of being scared of heights! For most of his three years service he was stationed at RAF Watton where he served as ground crew, refuelling and servicing the aircraft. While at Watton he would hitch-hike home at weekends and often cycle into Bungay to go to the cinema.
It was on one of these occasions that he met Jean who was sitting in the row behind him and spent most of the film chatting her up! They became engaged when Jean was 19 and were married two years later on March 25th 1961 at Bungay Methodist Church, with the reception at the Three Tuns. Sixty years ago George moved with his young bride to 7 Globe Close where they have lived to this present day. They had two daughters, Julie born in 1965, and Linda in 1968.
George worked on farms for most of his life, beginning at Beck Farm for Harold Hupton, doing general farm work driving tractors and the combine during harvest. There were no cabs in those days and goggles and masks had to be worn to overcome the dust. The family would take tea to the field for his refreshment. When Harold Hupton gave up farming George had a short while working on a pig farm before moving to Low Farm Denton with the Whipps family. Here he was in his element looking after the stock, driving tractors and trimming hedges, which, as with everything else he did, was done to perfection.
He was an extremely conscientious and reliable worker, only ever missing one day off work when the snow was so high, in places up to his waist. He tried to walk through but just could not make it. Finally, the last years of his working life were with Richard Lambert where he maintained and landscaped the garden.
In 1986 he and Jean bought mopeds and they travelled around together, with George always behind looking after Jean. As life progressed they enjoyed several holidays both here in the U.K. and abroad on coach trips. They particularly enjoyed going to Italy - where some of the trips were with their good friends Michael and Jean Hanner.
George treasured his home life, his garden, including the vegetable patch was always immaculate. He trimmed the ditches and verges on the playing field. He and Jean attended numerous village functions: fetes, village lunches, Bingo, pantomimes and social events.
As Chris Whipps said in the eulogy, he was a quiet and wonderful man, placid, kind and caring, a thoughtful Grandson, a devoted Son, an incredible Husband, a loving Dad, a brilliant Granddad to Sarah, Steven, Sam, Alice and Shaun, and a fun-loving Great Granddad to Joshua and William.
George was courageous to the end, bravely fighting pancreatic cancer in the comfort and privacy of his own home. The same cancer as daughter Julie passed away with five years ago. Reunited together.
Our condolences and sympathy goes to all the family, and especially to his loving wife Jean, and devoted daughter Linda.