from Ted Marriott
Lenton Lads
Me and Pete - 1957
It would be sometime in the 1980s that Pete Bradley surprised me with a phone call one day. He had seen my sister in a pub one Saturday afternoon and she gave him my phone number. I immediately arranged to see him the following day at his home in Sherwood.
We caught up with old times after 25 years, and he said he had plans to move to the east coast sometime, when had not yet been decided. I left him that afternoon and told him not to lose touch again.
A few months passed and I phoned him but the phone was disconnected. I drove over to find the house vacant. He had migrated to the coast.
Three Amigos 2003
Me, Pete Bradley & Pete Selby
It took a few years to track him down, but we eventually met up again in 2003. I took Pete Selby with me and we stayed overnight in a mates caravan. As Pete Selby and I were not seasoned drinkers like Pete, we were all secretly concerned if we would make it through the evening. However, we managed it and with the company of his son, Wayne, a good night was had by all.
I used to take my dog to the coast just above Ingoldmells, as there was a deserted beach away from tourists. It was on one of these occasions sometime in September 2005 that we paid Pete a visit and sadly learned the news that he had cancer. He told my wife he had 18 months left to live. On his first day of retirement after a check up at the hospital, he was given the bad news. What lousy luck.
Pete Selby and I visited him again in October, telling us of his treatment, and that he came home from the hospital at weekends.
In December, Pete phoned me and told me he was now home for good and I said we would visit him again sometime after Christmas.
Sadly, on December 10th 2005 Pete Bradley died aged 65yrs.
Pete Selby and I attended his cremation service at Boston on the 20th December.
So sad, so final......at least in this world anyway.
On the 22nd December I attended the scattering of his ashes at Bramcote crematorium, back in Nottingham. His parents' ashes were scattered at the same spot.
Pete was now back home.
Lenton Lads
Me and Pete - 2003
"Cheerio Pete, we had some happy times together as lads and that is how I'll always remember you. R.I.P."
edward_marriott@hotmail.com