The sad news that Dave died, in hospital in Norwich, on 13 February 2023, came via his wife Moira and their two sons.
Dave joined HMSO in London in 1959, starting in Drury Lane Press and moving as Clerical Officer to P5b in Cornwall House. He transferred to Norwich, working in Computer Services Division in 1968, and progressed to PB10 in Publications Division, where he worked on Electronic Publishing.
He lived with his family in Long Stratton and was a valuable member of the HMSOldies team.
From a personal point of view, he was the first friend I made in HMSO when I joined ITW in 1963 and remained a good and entertaining companion throughout our time in Norwich. If Dave was coming to lunch you knew that you were in for a good time!
The funeral will be held at Norwich St Faith’s Crematorium at 1130 on Thursday 16 March 2023.
Moira Martin adds, on 5 July 2023: I just wanted to thank everyone for support on the day of funeral and for the many messages received, not forgetting the donations totalling £255 to Dementia UK. Thank you. Moira.
Philip Marriage adds: So sad to learn of Dave’s passing – he was one of the most likeable people you could wish to meet. We first met over sixty years ago and in later years often mused on our coincidental careers with HMSO, both starting in 1959 at HMSO’s Drury Lane Press (though I only knew him then from collecting my pay, in cash in a dull buff envelope, from the Cashier’s Office). We got to know each other more when he was Pubns Training Officer in Norwich but it was when I found myself alongside him in Electronic Publishing at the end of our HMSO lives that we got to know each other well. Then after eighteen months together we both found ourselves redundant within a month of each other in early 1997. Another coincidence was that we were born a day apart which we both found helpful when comparing pension arrangements and the like. In retirement we continued to meet regularly for lunch with Alan Pawsey – then still working for the residual HMSO – often joined by Lynda Marshall, Phillip Brooks, Jayne Wilkinson and Reg (our Editor). HMSOldies was conceived and launched around this time and Dave, using his coding experience from Electronic Publishing, joined the team and for several years was a willing helper uploading material to the site.
Farewell Dave – I’ll miss your congenial friendship.