In memory of

William Ernest Branson (Ernest Branson)

Born in Hucknall Notts to a coal mining family, he was the eldest of 13 children. He struggled with his education because of +little money and having to look after his younger siblings. He joined the RAF during the second world war and served as a Leading Aircraft Engineer based for much of the time in Bedfordshire. After the war he took a one year teacher training course, married his first wife, Eva Cropper and moved to the Isle of Wight. There he ran football and dancing, became president of the IOW Schools FA and Secretary of Ryde Carnival. In 1967 he left his first wife with three Children aged 19, 12 & 9 to become Headteacher of Pulloxhill Primary School with Anne, also a teacher, who was to become his second wife. They lived in the Bedford area and settled into a rented house in Wilstead where they kept an aviary of birds, a parrot and a dog also building a "G" gauge model railway in the garden, He was also interested in classic cars, the last one being an ex-police Wolsey. Unfortunately Anne developed dementia and they moved into Tavistock Court in Bedford until Anne could no longer be looked after by him and she moved to Highfields Residential Care Home, where she still lives. He had great help from two local people and this was very much appreciated; Frances who initially came to walk their dog, but then managed all of the major shopping and Pete who came to help Anne with singing as she was registered blind, but also befriended him.

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