My father, Geoffrey Parker, who has died aged 94, overcame a difficult start in life to fulfil his dream of becoming a steam train driver.
Born in Pode Hole, Lincolnshire, Geoffrey was the son of George Parker, a police sergeant, and Florence (nee Barwick). The eldest of five siblings, he was brought up in an austere Christian household.
One night, when Geoffrey was aged seven, his mother, who had been ill for some time, called the children to her bed. She died during the night with them in her arms. The sound of her last breaths traumatised my father for the rest of his life. George soon remarried, became a vicar and moved to a new home. Geoffrey was instructed never to mention his mother again.
At the age of 15, Geoffrey moved to lodgings in Neasden, north-west London, and joined British Railways as a cleaner. He met Joyce Drake, who lived around the corner from him, and after being friends for some years, in 1949 they married. Joyce’s mother took him to her heart, welcoming him into her large family.
After a few years, Geoffrey was promoted to a driver of steam trains, which was his passion. He loved telling stories of his time on the footplate of the Flying Scotsman, the Mallard and the Sir Nigel Gresley.
In 1955, as the lone National Union of Railways (NUR) driver during an Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef) strike, he was forced to continue to work as he would have received no financial assistance otherwise. He was subject to bullying, and some colleagues never spoke to him again for the rest of his working life, more than 30 years.
Continue reading…My father, Geoffrey Parker, who has died aged 94, overcame a difficult start in life to fulfil his dream of becoming a steam train driver.Born in Pode Hole, Lincolnshire, Geoffrey was the son of George Parker, a police sergeant, and Florence (nee Barwick). The eldest of five siblings, he was brought up in an austere Christian household. One night, when Geoffrey was aged seven, his mother, who had been ill for some time, called the children to her bed. She died during the night with them in her arms. The sound of her last breaths traumatised my father for the rest of his life. George soon remarried, became a vicar and moved to a new home. Geoffrey was instructed never to mention his mother again.At the age of 15, Geoffrey moved to lodgings in Neasden, north-west London, and joined British Railways as a cleaner. He met Joyce Drake, who lived around the corner from him, and after being friends for some years, in 1949 they married. Joyce’s mother took him to her heart, welcoming him into her large family.After a few years, Geoffrey was promoted to a driver of steam trains, which was his passion. He loved telling stories of his time on the footplate of the Flying Scotsman, the Mallard and the Sir Nigel Gresley.In 1955, as the lone National Union of Railways (NUR) driver during an Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef) strike, he was forced to continue to work as he would have received no financial assistance otherwise. He was subject to bullying, and some colleagues never spoke to him again for the rest of his working life, more than 30 years. Continue reading…