A Tribute To A Favourite Uncle
Uncle Philip, my favourite uncle, died a couple of days ago in his 81st year.
He was a horticulturist in Guernsey, my childhood home, specialising in tomatoes and flowers.
I well remember sitting on the bench of his packing shed and delighting in his tales of a little boy called Johnny Sampson who was extremely naughty, and spent most of his time breaking into Mrs Snowdrop’s sweet shop and stealing the sweets! My own children also enjoyed these stories when retold many years later.
Uncle Philip was a dare devil and as a child I witnessed some of his escapades. He enjoyed diving off the rocks at Albecq, on the west coast of Guernsey, if you got the positioning wrong you would miss the water and smash into the treacherous rocks littered below! Uncle Philip and his brothers, Clement and Paul (my Dad) would see how long they could sit on an electric fence, the last one left was the winner! Uncle Philip was always invited to our November 5th bonfire parties. He could be relied upon to bring a substantial quantity of fireworks. One year, much to my mother’s horror, he lit two rockets and held them in his hands like sparklers, until forced to let go!
Uncle Philip never lacked courage and endured the constant pain of arthritis and osteoporosis without complaint. When asked how he was he would always answer "Fine", even when it was obvious that he was far from fine! My mother recalls the day my Uncle had toothache, it was at his busiest time of year and he told the dentist to pull it out there and then, he just didn’t have time for a local anaesthetic, the dentist obliged!
Uncle Philip was generous to a fault and would part with his money to anyone who asked! In his later years his money was put in a trust to prevent him giving it all away!
This bighearted man will be missed. I am sad at his passing but glad that he is finally at rest and pain free. I suspect heaven will be a much livelier place now my Uncle is a resident!
Philip Hall de Garis 1923-2004