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 Post subject: Very Sad News
New postPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 2:18 pm 
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Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2009 10:07 am
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Location: Widnes,Cheshire,UK
It is with great sadness that I have to report that FOPS Vice President Albert Taylor passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Saturday Morning.
Albert and his late wife Joyce were long standing active members of FOPS and held the post of Secretary for many years.
Since the formation of the North West Group Albert has been a staunch and generous member, regularly attending meetings giving us the benefit of his experience and knowledge. The last few years have been difficult for his mobility but with the aid of his good friend Roy Knowles he was able to attend our meetings and to appear with the Organ at many events.
He will be very sadly missed by all those who knew him.

A Very Nice Gentleman.
Rest in Peace Albert.

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George


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 Post subject: Re: Very Sad News
New postPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 2:52 pm 
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Hi George.

That is sad news. Although I haven't known Albert long, I came to know him as a true gentleman and enthusiast.

He will be missed at North West Group meetings and rallies.

Sadly, another old soldier gone.

Rest in peace old friend.

File comment: Roy Knowles and Albert Taylor next to the 'Panfluiter' at the Widnes Rally in 2008
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Dave Stubbs


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 Post subject: Re: Very Sad News
New postPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:33 am 
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The Funeral Service for Albert Taylor will be at the
Rowan Chapel,Stockport Crematorium, Buxton Road, Stockport. SK2 6LS. at 1.45 pm on Thursday 27 January.
The Crematorium is marked at A on the map.
Map for Stockport Crematorium.gif
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 Post subject: Re: Very Sad News
New postPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 11:52 am 
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Location: Widnes,Cheshire,UK
Yesterdays Funeral service for Albert was very well attended,the number of F O P S members present indicated the high regard that members had for him.
His friend Roy Knowles related a story about Alberts first effort to own an Organ.
While on Military service in Berlin just after the hostiities had ceased Albert was enthralled by the sound of a small hand turned organ that a Berliner was playing in the street. Albert approached the grinder and asked if the organ was for sale, the man replied that he would not sell it but would exchange it for Coffee which at that time was almost unobtainable in Germany, a deal was made and Albert sent a message home for a parcel of Coffee to be despatched from England.
Unfortunately the Army had other plans and Albert was sent to Greece before the exchange could be made and was left with a rather large amount of Coffee and no Organ.

:grinder:

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 Post subject: Re: Very Sad News
New postPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:13 pm 
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Hi George.

I heard a slight variation on that story, which is typical of anecdotes, in that when Albert was posted to Greece, the coffee was also lost, because it didn't arrive before he was shipped out, so he lost both the organ and the coffee!

Another case of "The one that got away"!

An excellent tribute was read during the service by a friend of Albert's and I have obtained his permission to reproduce it on the FOPS website. I will add it to the Tributes section when I have finished it.

Some pictures of Albert and from yesterday.

File comment: Roy Knowles (right) played Alberts Verbeeck during the service
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File comment: Members of the North West Group of FOPS paying their respects after the service
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File comment: Norman Kendall and Roy Knowles training a new recruit on Albert's Verbeeck
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File comment: Albert in front of Sam Price's Bruder "The Lioness" at the FOPS AGM (Pipes in the Peaks) in March 2009
IMG_5469_b.jpg
IMG_5469_b.jpg [ 82.51 KiB | Viewed 13677 times ]

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Dave Stubbs


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 Post subject: Re: Very Sad News
New postPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:40 pm 
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At Albert's funeral, a wonderful eulogy was read by an old friend of his, Howard Gregory and I obtained his permission to reproduce it on the FOPS website. I will eventually add it to the main website as a tribute.


Albert Taylor Eulogy by Mr J.H. Gregory

Well Albert, together we’ve known you for a LONG time.

You were born on May 8th 1925 to Edith and Arthur and lived at 28 Melbourne Street Gorton with Brother Ken.

In your early teens you met your childhood sweetheart Joyce going home from Spurley Hey School on the bus.

In woodwork lessons you had made a coat hanger that Joyce really admired, whilst Joyce in her cookery class had baked an apple pie that, it goes without saying YOU really admired. Well you know what they always say “exchange is no robbery” and that was the start of a romance that lasted fifty years.

When war broke out you joined the Royal Engineers and it was whilst working on a bridge in Hamburg that you made what must have been a spectacular fall into the river below, to be picked up by a passing barge – very fortunate really as you couldn’t swim!

On being de-mobbed, you found employment at Crossley Motors as a coachbuilder and later moved to Manchester Corporation Transport Department in their central works from where you retired in 1986.

In 1949 you married your lovely wife Joyce and shortly after joined the Fair Organ Preservation Society which was then in its infancy. For many years you and Joyce had the very busy job of Membership Secretary and later you both took on the role of Vice Presidents and in fact you are currently in this role and attended AGM’s as often as possible.

When the North West Group of the society was formed you were a founder member Albert and helped to organise many events, in particular the Heaton Park rallies where you and Joyce ran the hospitality tent with an ever-boiling kettle, the famous gigantic teapot and stock of biscuits. You were elected President of the North West Group in 2008 and regularly attended meetings.

Your organ society friends are worldwide, America, Australia, Germany, and Belgium to name a few and of course your friends, many of whom are here today from our own country.

In addition your other interests Albert include steam railways, military and local brass bands and the steam rally scene in general.

Now Albert, like all happily married couples you and Joyce did have the occasional ‘tif’ and I should like to remind you of one in particular when you were returning from holiday in Bournemouth. You were in your Austin A30 having graduated from Austin sevens and Morris eights. Joyce was navigating and you had been lost several times, even ending up in a farmyard at one stage. However you eventually got back on course and you are passing the Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope whose dish is facing vertically upwards, you pointed at it and unfortunately said “you know Joyce that’s the only direction we haven’t travelled in today” at which point Joyce gathered up all the maps and promptly threw them out of the open window!

Now to your love of dogs Albert. Yours included Max the Lakeland Terrier and Tommy who you rescued from a miserable life during a snowy winter in Ardwick. After feeding him for a week or so on pies from the works canteen you turn the black dog into the Police, no one claims him and you give him a new start in life on wonderful Werneth Low. On getting him home you and Joyce give him a good bath to find out that he is in fact a black, tan and white dog, needless to say he remained a faithful friend to you both for many years.

Even though you no longer owned a dog, there was still a tin full of biscuits on hand for any visiting four legged friends.

Well Albert we could go on relating wonderful stories but we will have to save them for when we hopefully meet up again.

Bye bye for now Albert and give our love to Joyce.


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 Post subject: Re: Very Sad News
New postPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:42 pm 
A wonderful eulogy I must say.I got to know Albert during one of several Fops agms.I will sadly miss his tales from the beginning of the organ preservation movement.He always made me laugh by the way he was telling them stories.
Bless you Albert and rest in peace.
Rudy(Belgium) :cry2:


Last bumped by Anonymous on Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:42 pm.


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