Geoffrey Gordon Gill

Geoff is a Yorkshireman, and was born and spent his early years in Keighley. He moved to Biggleswade in Bedfordshire with his family when he was 3 years old. Some of you will remember Geoff’s parents, Norman and Bettie, from when they used to come and visit us. We all knew which were Norman’s favourite hymns and also the ones he didn’t like!

Norman and Bettie encouraged Geoff and his 3 siblings to achieve their full potential academically, having been denied themselves. Geoff attended Stratton Grammar School which was along Stratton Way, where they lived. Geoff and his older sister and brother (and often his friends), came home at lunchtime for a hot meal every day until he went to University. His much younger sister, an able linguist, won a Scholarship to go to Bedford Girls High School, which was 12 miles away.

Geoff was a keen Choirboy and his brother and sisters often recall Bettie’s tears as he sang solos, particularly “Once in Royal David’s City”. He was also a keen Boy Scout and featured in the Guinness Book of Records, and appeared on Blue Peter for his 72 hour knotting marathon. Yes! I have contacted the BBC to get a copy of the programme, but unfortunately they did not have it in their archives. Geoff may be good with knots, but his D.I.Y. skills are nil. I have had to have an extension built to get rid of some pointing he attempted to do whilst I was out! Fortunately, I have a phone book full of talented people I can call on if I need a job doing.

Now once a Yorkshireman, always a Yorkshireman. Geoff went to Leeds University to study Maths and Physics, but there was still something missing in his life. Little did he know that she was at Nottingham University studying Physics. Destiny led us both to do an MSc at Salford University. On the first day, Geoff walked into the room, late of course, and looking slightly bewildered. He had been out with schoolfriend, Nosher and his brother the night before and was somewhat worse for wear. Somehow though, I knew I was going to marry this interesting young man. I was the only woman on the course so I knew there was no competition there, but it was not until the Physics Department Christmas “Do” that the relationship was sealed, and 2.5 years later, we were married at Mellor Church.

Geoff has always been a keen sportsman. Like all Yorkshiremen, he fostered a dream of playing cricket for God’s own County! When he started Grammar School he played his first game of rugby and realised this was his game. He represented Bedfordshire at U15 (Captain!) and U19 level and in one particular brutal encounter had his nose rearranged into the fine Roman shape you see today! He had a number of seasons playing for Blackburn 1st 15 and one of my most vivid memories was when he broke his collar bone on a frozen pitch at Preston Grasshoppers. I was allowed to stand at the back of Casualty with Newton, our Jack Russell, whilst Geoff had his broken collar bone yanked back into place. We couldn’t leave Newton in the car because he would have destroyed it! He decided to hang up his boots when we were expecting twins and then ran the Bolton Marathon for Mellor Church roof in 1983.

Geoff has worked in the Nuclear Industry at Springfields for 32 years, having started as a Graduate Health Physicist, and is now the Environment, Health, Safety and Quality Director. He is also actively involved in Mellor Church and School and our kids would often be heard to say “Is he down that Church again?”

Geoff has the amazing knack of quietly getting his own way by somehow making me think it’s my idea all along. Some of you probably know that I was never going to have children, just dogs! Somehow Geoff managed to make me think that I thought it was a good idea to have a baby. I didn’t anticipate getting 2 at once though, which considering I’d never held a baby in my life, Amy and Gemma were going to be a challenge. Anyway I rose to it and then gave Geoff the task of giving me a boy. He knew I would stop at nothing until I got what I wanted and was probably relieved when Peter came into the world. A chip off the old block in more ways than one!

Geoff and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary this year and I can honestly say that in all that time we have never fallen out. Some might say that’s because he just agrees with me and goes along with everything I say and do! Let’s just say he knows how to play the game – my rules of course!

Sue Gill

Geoffrey Gordon Gill

Geoff is a Yorkshireman, and was born and spent his early years in Keighley. He moved to Biggleswade in Bedfordshire with his family when he was 3 years old. Some of you will remember Geoff’s parents, Norman and Bettie, from when they used to come and visit us. We all knew which were Norman’s favourite hymns and also the ones he didn’t like!

Norman and Bettie encouraged Geoff and his 3 siblings to achieve their full potential academically, having been denied themselves. Geoff attended Stratton Grammar School which was along Stratton Way, where they lived. Geoff and his older sister and brother (and often his friends), came home at lunchtime for a hot meal every day until he went to University. His much younger sister, an able linguist, won a Scholarship to go to Bedford Girls High School, which was 12 miles away.

Geoff was a keen Choirboy and his brother and sisters often recall Bettie’s tears as he sang solos, particularly “Once in Royal David’s City”. He was also a keen Boy Scout and featured in the Guinness Book of Records, and appeared on Blue Peter for his 72 hour knotting marathon. Yes! I have contacted the BBC to get a copy of the programme, but unfortunately they did not have it in their archives. Geoff may be good with knots, but his D.I.Y. skills are nil. I have had to have an extension built to get rid of some pointing he attempted to do whilst I was out! Fortunately, I have a phone book full of talented people I can call on if I need a job doing.

Now once a Yorkshireman, always a Yorkshireman. Geoff went to Leeds University to study Maths and Physics, but there was still something missing in his life. Little did he know that she was at Nottingham University studying Physics. Destiny led us both to do an MSc at Salford University. On the first day, Geoff walked into the room, late of course, and looking slightly bewildered. He had been out with schoolfriend, Nosher and his brother the night before and was somewhat worse for wear. Somehow though, I knew I was going to marry this interesting young man. I was the only woman on the course so I knew there was no competition there, but it was not until the Physics Department Christmas “Do” that the relationship was sealed, and 2.5 years later, we were married at Mellor Church.

Geoff has always been a keen sportsman. Like all Yorkshiremen, he fostered a dream of playing cricket for God’s own County! When he started Grammar School he played his first game of rugby and realised this was his game. He represented Bedfordshire at U15 (Captain!) and U19 level and in one particular brutal encounter had his nose rearranged into the fine Roman shape you see today! He had a number of seasons playing for Blackburn 1st 15 and one of my most vivid memories was when he broke his collar bone on a frozen pitch at Preston Grasshoppers. I was allowed to stand at the back of Casualty with Newton, our Jack Russell, whilst Geoff had his broken collar bone yanked back into place. We couldn’t leave Newton in the car because he would have destroyed it! He decided to hang up his boots when we were expecting twins and then ran the Bolton Marathon for Mellor Church roof in 1983.

Geoff has worked in the Nuclear Industry at Springfields for 32 years, having started as a Graduate Health Physicist, and is now the Environment, Health, Safety and Quality Director. He is also actively involved in Mellor Church and School and our kids would often be heard to say “Is he down that Church again?”

Geoff has the amazing knack of quietly getting his own way by somehow making me think it’s my idea all along. Some of you probably know that I was never going to have children, just dogs! Somehow Geoff managed to make me think that I thought it was a good idea to have a baby. I didn’t anticipate getting 2 at once though, which considering I’d never held a baby in my life, Amy and Gemma were going to be a challenge. Anyway I rose to it and then gave Geoff the task of giving me a boy. He knew I would stop at nothing until I got what I wanted and was probably relieved when Peter came into the world. A chip off the old block in more ways than one!

Geoff and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary this year and I can honestly say that in all that time we have never fallen out. Some might say that’s because he just agrees with me and goes along with everything I say and do! Let’s just say he knows how to play the game – my rules of course!

Sue Gill