a021 I
[-;F;gF] was
born on Thursday 7/6/1945 (1945 2nd quarter, Worksop, folio 7b page 86) in the Ashley Grove Nursing Home in Worksop, Notts, England. This is now the Ashley Hotel (!!!). Until Dad was demobbed from the army in 1947, I lived with my Mum at my grandparents, in Langold, Notts. We went down to London to live with my paternal grandparents. They owned a second hand shop. In 1948, my grandparents emigrated to Australia. We moved back north to Hemsworth, Wakefield, W.Yorks. in 1950, where I started school. We then moved to a cottage in Tickhill S. Yorks. This was very primitive. We had running cold water, but we could use a pump, in the garden. We also had an outside earth closet (toilet). I can remember helping my mum to do the washing outside with all the old fashioned equipment. My sister was born in 1953 and I was a ready made baby sitter. Up to 1955 the family was living at 18 Knaton Road, Carlton-in-Lindrick, Worksop. On 02/11/1955, the family
emigrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, on the Shaw Savill Line, 'SS New Australia' from Southampton to Sydney, ticket number 924. The family returned to England in Jan. 1958. Later that year I sat and passed a 13+ exam to go to Retford Grammar School. In 1963 I went to Hull University and studied biochemistry. Picture of Retford Grammar School
Upper Science VI from about 1963. If you are in the photograph please make contact so we can renew friendship.
My first job was with Reckitt and Sons, in Hull, in their biochemistry lab. After this I went back to the university, working as a research assistant in the Botany Department. There I met
a023 my first wife. We married in Hull on 19th September 1968 (1968 quarter 3, Holderness, folio 2a page 240). Sadly this was not to last, and by March, 1969, we had separated. I attained my divorce decree absolute on 27 July 1972.
In 1968 I went to Exeter to work for Ambrosia Ltd., as a food technologist, and lived in Exmouth. There I met
a022 Shirley June Goodman, (after I had separated from
a023) who was sister to one of my neighbours. On 19/8/1972 (1972 3rd quarter, Devon C, folio 7a page 1142) we
married. That year also, Cavenham Foods Ltd., bought Ambrosia and decided to close the Exeter laboratories. I was moved to the Ambrosia factory in Lifton Devon. We purchased a Duke of Bedford cottage in Tavistock and moved there in march 1973. June 1973 was a very eventful month. My car, a green Mini, finally died and I had to buy a Ford Escort, and due to the economy my mortgage repayments rocketed, and Shirley informed me that she was pregnant. In one month we went from reasonably well off to being broke, so I decided to take a second job. I started work in the local Bingo Hall in Tavistock and stayed there until we left Tavistock in 1988. I started as tea maker and general helper and left as manager. John was born in 1974. We realised that we couldn't afford to move, so I built a bedroom over our kitchen. I learnt building and enjoyed it. In 1976 I built a toilet extension for Shirley's mum in Exmouth. Thurstan was born in 1976. We decided to extend the home again, so in 1983, we started and built a playroom and dining room downstairs and a bedroom and bathroom over. It was finished by1986. By 1988 I was having problems at Ambrosia, and was told I was too old to get promotion. I said to Shirley that for two cents I would buy a corner shop. Shirley said why not buy a subpost office. Which we did. The shop side is a small grocery with a sandwich take-away. So Shirley took on the position of main sandwich maker, while I am the subpostmaster. At the moment we are still here, but the property is on the market, as we want to leave.
We starting attending church regularly, Westfield Christian Centre, and my most rememberable occasion was being baptised by full emersion, with Thurstan and my Dad. it is unusal for 3 generations to be baptised at the same time. At this time I also became a local councilor and served on the Horbury Community Council and the Care for Horbury committee, that looked after Horbury. I was becoming more and more involved with the church and resigned from those public bodies. In November 1994, my dad sadly died, which was very traumatic. At that time our pastor, John Farrant resigned from WCC, to set up Titus Ministries Worldwide, a charity devoted to caring children . There was a child sponsorship program sponsoring an orphanage in Kampala, Uganda, and an orphanage in Brazil. I became the Honourary Treasurer for the charity, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Shirley and I left Westfield CC and joined John Farrant. We were coming together on a Sunday for fellowship and then God told me to offer our garage, which is very big, to be used as a church. We all painted and cleaned etc. and for 2 years were happy having a church in our garage. I also took on the job of treasurer of the church. So I bought a computer to enable me to do all the accounts. I enjoyed putting together a website for the charity. In 1999 we met people from a small church in Gawthorpe, Ossett, just 5 miles away from us and our little church decided to join with them.
We were both very active in the church. With treasury, accounts, computer work, I was also invoved, with my building expertise, in upgrading the church. On Friday evening, about 7.30 pm 3 march 2001, I went to the church to check on the work that I was going to do on the Saturday. (This was wiring up a new audio system ). I collapsed on the stage and my head, the right side, effectively blew up. Blood poured everywhere and bled internally. (I had a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage). When Shirley, reached Dewsbury hospital, she was told that they had picked me up blind drunk!!! After many arguments, they finally agreed to do a brain scan on me. The scan showed that I had had a severe brain haemorrhage, so early Saturday morning I was sent to Leeds Infirmary for surgery. Shirley was told that I probably would not survive the journey to Leeds, and anyway, if I did, to expect me to have a 'fried' brain. The Lord proved them wrong on both counts. The ambulance was kitted out as an operating theatre, just in case. In Leeds they stopped the haemorrhaging and sorted out my brain. Unfortunately my lungs collapsed twice, and I was declared dead twice. I was given an emergency tracheostomy, and a drainage opening at the side of my chest. But all was still not well. I think I was in surgery so many times that they put a zip in my head (ha! ha!) Eventually, I was given a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt - a drainage tube from my brain to my abdomen. They also discovered, which helped to create the haemorrhage, that I am diabetic and had high blood pressure. For the first 5 weeks, I was into and out of consciousness, but then one day I was fully awake, hungry and ready to come home. On Good Friday I was sent back to Dewsbury for convalescence. There my diabetes was brought under control. When I finally persuaded the consultant that he should send me home, he said, that if it happened, would I be prepared to inject myself. I said 'no chance, but my wife is a nurse and she would give me the injections'. So, from the next day he had reduced it from 2 insulin injections per day to 3 tablets a day, and 1 tablet to control the blood pressure. Again the medical staff could not understand my amazing recovery, but I was able to tell them that this was the Lord at work. Eventually I was sent home on 25th April. Soon after getting home, I started having pain up my right leg and across my stomach. My Doctor said that I could take paracetamol, two every 2 hours to just take away the edge off the pain. But after 2 months, I thought, this is silly, God has healed me and here I am taking all this tablets. So I stopped taking the paracetamol, and the pain disappeared. Since then I have had all manner of tests, physical and mental, and passed with flying colours. The Clinical Psychologist Consultant, admitted himself, that this was a miracle. I am now back at work and have been given clearance for driving.
Unfortunately John Farrant had to take over the accounts, and then while I was still in hospital, John died. His wife couldn't manage, so the charity has now closed down, and so I have lost the treasureships.
I want to say a big thank you to Shirley, who from when I went into hospital has taken the brunt of everything, from running the business to now looking after me.
During the year that I have been back at work, I realised that my doctor was right and that I shouldn't have gone back to work. I found that I couldn't really cope, and got stressed out too easily. The answer was to sell up and move. As the business had been on the market for several years with no interest, we decided the way forward was to close down the business and sell the property as a domestic house. We closed down the post office and shop on 2nd. August 2002, and at the moment I am out of work. At the moment we are in the middle of selling the property. I will tell you all about this when we finally move. We finally said good-bye to the post office and Horbury Bridge and moved into our new house in Horbury, on 4th. October 2002. I have been put on Incapacity Benefit for the next 5 years. So although finances are tight, I do have some money coming in.
We started going to Tithe Barn Christian Centre, but in 2007 the church closed down, so we joined New Horizons Church now called
Vision Church in Dewsbury and Morley. We are very happy worshipping there. In 2011 the church had to move so we now meet in the Village Hotel in Morley.
In 2010 I finally retired and now receive my old age pension. In June 2011 Shirley celebrated her 70th birthday. I gave her a surprise, although she knew about it,
party in the Ship Inn. It was a good and joyous time with family friends and neighbours.
On 19/08/2012, Shirley and I celebrated our ruby wedding, 40 years. We renewed our
wedding vows during a party held in our garden on 11/08/2012. Ian and Julie Nundy, our church pastors, conducted the ceremony. It was a brilliant day with family, friends, and neighbours. We bought two gazebos. Jack and Jackie played the music for us. Jackie and
I both gave a speech.
On 10/06/2021 we celebrated Shirley's 80th birthday. We went down to Freda and Susan's for an afternoon tea on the Friday. On Sunday the 12th we invited friends and family for a garden celebration party. Shirley got 22 cards. See pictures below.
On 19/08/2022, Shirley and I celebrated our Gold Wedding Anniversary, 50 years. Trying to get everyone together, was difficult , but we had a celebration meal on the 3rd September 2022 in the BullsHead pub, Horbury.
At the end of August the bathroom was finished and the 1st shower was difficult. Unfortunately Shirley fell and was taken to A & E and she had broken a bone on her right wrist and so had a pot put on. She couldn’t use the shower till beginning of November so it had to be strip washes on the commode. Because Shirley can’t walk we have difficulty in getting her into the car when needed so we have to rely on Paul to help me to carry Shirley down the 3 steps down to the road. I have spoken to our fence man, he did a good job of replacing the broken fences last year, for him to make a sloping path through the front garden to the road. Hoping I can push and pull Shirley into and out of the house by myself. He made a good job, and I can push her up. I have to say thanks to our family and friends for the help that we’ve been given since January. Lisa, Lucy, Freda and Sharon for many dinners they have given us; to Paul and Lisa for help with getting Shirley to the car and pushing her at the hospitals; to Freda for ironing my shirts: and to Thurstan for picking up Shirley when she fell before we went on CareLink.
On 20 April Shirley fell. CareLink got her up and asked if she was OK. Shirley said that she had bumped her head. They called for a doctor who was more interested with her bruises to her left hip. He said best to go to A & E. I rang Paul to help. He came over and we went to A & E. We went through triage at 2.45pm and saw a doctor at 6.45pm. He sent her for an Xray at 8 pm, but couldn't find a trolley. She went in at 10pm and came out at 11pm. At midnight the doctor said she was OK but wanted her to stay in hospital aver night. The only bed was in Dewsbury Hospital. There was a mix up of information, Dewsbury thought that she was walking at home so was concerned why she wasn't walking in the hospital. So They couldn't do anything for her but they kept her in. Unfortunately she got a bladder infection which stopped her being sent to a respite care home, but then she came down with covid. She was sent to an isolation ward. After 12 days, on 03 June 2023 she was sent to Chestnuts Care Home in Altofts. She was returned home on 18 July 2023. We moved the settee into the conservatory. We had to put a hospital bed into the lounge. Shirley has carers coming in four times a day. Unfortunately Shirley can't walk or sit up. Her legs are locked in and are very painful when moved and also her arms. When she came home from Chestnuts she had very bad bed sores.
Her condition got worse and the district nurses with my permission sent her to Ashby Lodge respite home, so that they could turn her over every two hours day and night. Shirley was so poorly that they put her on an end of life regime. Sadly on the 18th December I got a phone call at 7 pm to say that she had passed away. She was with Jesus. I got the home to tell Thurstan and John the news. Because of the holidays I had difficulty in getting her Death Certificate. Her funeral was held on the 9th of January 2024 at Wakefield
Crematorium. Our pastor, Ian Nundy, led the service. It was a gentle loving
Eulogy of Shirley's life. Afterwards we all went to Horbury Working Members Club for lunch. we left at 6.30 pm. It was good to see friends from years ago but in a sad time. On the 24th of July 2024 Shirley's Ashes were
buried in Horbury Cemetery
I received 26 condolence cards, which shows how much Shirley was loved.
I have lost my beautiful wife of 51 years.
Picture of
John about 4 years old.
Picture of John and Shirley's
Wedding Day group.
Picture of John & Shirley
Cutting the Cake. Notice John Edward Olsen and Doris Winifred Goodman.
Picture of John & Shirley
ready to go on honeymoon.
Picture of John & Shirley
June 2007.
Picture of our
5 Grandkids.
Picture of
70th Birthday Presents.
Picture of
Ruby Wedding - Ian, Julie,Shirley and John.
Picture of
Ruby Wedding - Renewing Wedding Vows.
Picture of
Ruby Wedding - Shirley and John.
Picture of
Ruby Wedding - Friends.
Picture of
John in Spain 2015.
Picture of
John at Shirley's 75th birthday 10/06/2016.
Picture of
Mothering Sunday - Shirley and John 2016.
Picture of
Maize Maze - Shirley and John 16/08/2017.
Picture of
Baby John and Frances Olsen. Langold 1945.
Picture of
Baby John and John Edward Olsen. Langold 1946.
Picture of
Baby John on swing 1947.
Picture of
Baby John on rocking horse and Frances Olsen. London 1947.
Picture of
John home from School. Buranda Brisbane QLD 11/02/1957.
Picture of
John with his bicycle. Carlton-in-Lindrick 1958.
Picture of
John's first car. Ford Prefect 1965 ONG 277.
Picture of
John's second car. Austin A30 1968 PNB 768. PeaNut Butter.
Picture of
John's car. Ford Escort 1978 PYB 863F.
Picture of
John's car. Ford Cortina Estate F310 SBX.
Picture of
Family at camp - Reeth N. Yorkshire August 2011.
Picture of
John at family at camp - Reeth N. Yorkshire August 2011.
Picture of
Lucy, John, Shirley and Bethany at Scarborough 2014.
Picture of
Shirley on her 80th birthday party 12/06/21.
Picture of
Shirley's 80th birthday cake 10/06/21.
Picture of
Shirley's 80th birthday lunch 10/06/21.
Picture of
Shirley and Susan Roberts on her 80th birthday 10/06/21.
Picture of
Shirley and Freda Roberts on her 80th birthday 10/06/21.
Picture of
Our Golden Wedding Menu on 3 September 2022.
Picture of
Our Golden Wedding Invitation on 3 September 2022.
picture of
John, Shirley and Sylvia at Barbara Hepworth Museum about 2014.
Picture of
Front of Order of Service, Funeral of Shirley 09 01 2024.
Picture of
Order of Service, Funeral of Shirley 09 01 2024.
Picture of
Thanks to attendees, Funeral of Shirley 09 01 2024.
Picture of
Rear of Order of Service, Funeral of Shirley 09 01 2024.
Picture of
Collection Envelope for Alzheimers, Funeral of Shirley 09 01 2024.
Picture of
Death Certificate of Shirley 18 12 2023.
Picture of
Harpins invitation to Funeral of Shirley 09 01 2024.
Picture of
large jigsaw of 5 grandkids hanging on the lounge wall.
Picture of
Small jigsaw of 4 kids of John hanging on the lounge wall.
Picture of
Grave of Shirley June Olsen 24 06 24.
Picture of
Nurse Shirley and children at Stoke Lyne Hospital.
Picture of
Shirley feeding the ducks at Breia Vatnet, Stavanger Norway 08/1972.
Picture of
Shirley at the wedding of Janet and Tony in Westminster Chapel May 1973.
Picture of
Shirley and John Christian at Penny-Come-Quick, Dartmoor, 1974.
Picture of
John building the bedroom at 13 Trelawney Tavistock 1975.
Picture of
Shirley building the bedroom at 13 Trelawney Tavistock 1975.
Picture of
Shirley building the bedroom at 13 Trelawney Tavistock 1975.
Picture of
Interment grave of Shirley on 24 07 2024.
Picture of
Certificate of Cremation 09 01 2024.
