Our dad

Our dad, Geoffrey Thomas Lewis Elmore was born on 2nd July 1933 in Crouch End, North London.

There is so much we could tell you about his life and, I am sure we will not tell you it all now, however we are sure you will all have memories that can be shared a little later on. He has written a memoir of his life which we hope to make available at some point in the future.

He often talked to us about how proud he was of all of us, our successes in life, our children, and his three great grand children. Our job today is to share how proud we are of him.

The 6th of William and Doris Elmore's 15 children he grew up in difficult circumstances, as the family had little money and with war breaking out when aged 6, his early life was a challenge.

Despite this, he worked very hard at school and passed a scholarship exam enabling him to attend Enfield technical college at the age of 16.

During his time at school he went on a trip to the Albert Hall to a classical music concert, this was the start of his love of classical music. The choice of music for today's service was influenced by this. We chose Elgar’s Cello concerto performed by Jaqueline Du Pré, as it brings memories of dad wanting Marion to be a cellist, probably wanting her to be the next Du Pré, unfortunately my recollection of her practicing was more like a screeching cat! I think he also had aspirations of me being a great pianist, one Christmas I received an electronic keyboard, I too lacked any talent other than ‘Chopsticks’ and even that was dreadful!

After he finished school he worked as an apprentice at De Havilland, working on rocket propulsion engines, jet engine design and finally their nuclear group in Soho, during this apprenticeship he was called up for his national service, with the RAF. After this he had a short spell as a design manager with a food processing machinery manufacturer, Douglas Rownson and joined Air Products as Manager of Design of pressure vessels and Equipment in 1966.

At Air Products he worked all over the world, initially in the USA as well as Holland, Norway, Germany, France, Japan, South Africa and South Korea often bringing back gifts of local interest. I remember once getting a pigmy shield, spear and drum! I think I still have these somewhere.

A couple of years ago, James, Aidan and I took dad to Duxford air show. Before the flying commenced we took a stroll around the museum where there are many exhibits of planes and engines. Dad was in his element, showing the boys and me the De Havilland Ghost engine and explaining how it worked, the Comet aircraft and many other things. The boys, having only known Grandad in his retirement, were amazed and impressed by his knowledge and proud that he had worked on these things.


From a very impoverished childhood, dad had a very successful career as a mechanical engineer, and in 1980 was elected to the highest level of membership of his institution – Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Dad this all makes us so proud of you.

At the age of 53, he was given the opportunity to take early retirement and left Air Products, spending the next 30 years doing so many things he loved doing with his beloved wife Margaret.

In the early 70’s he took an interest in Archaeology and went to evening classes and joined the local archaeological society. I have many memories of going on archaeological digs, visiting mounds in the middle of fields, barrows as I learned they were called, West Kennet, Silbury Hill, Avebury and many other places of historical interest. He discovered, in Leatherhead by the River Mole, a Roman Villa, which was never excavated but he, and Margaret discovered many artefacts, mainly pottery fragments by the riverside including a roman coin.

His other interest at that time was pottery. Again he attended evening classes, run by Michael Buckland, who became a great friend, and Dennis Moore at Deepdene in East Horsley. I can remember from an early age our dining room had a potter’s wheel in the corner.

His love of pottery never waned, and he has an enviable collection of pots from all over the world as well as hundreds of his own. We have bought a few these along today, if you don’t have a ‘Geoff’ pot, please take one as a memento of him later on. He held many exhibitions of his work along with Margaret's paintings, selling some and I am sure he could have made a career as a professional potter!

Last year I visited a gallery in Cambridge, ‘Primavera’, as I knew he had exhibited his work somewhere in Cambridge. The gallery was filled with all sorts of art and pottery, some with huge price tags! Whilst we were looking around, a couple of men came in carrying a large painting. One of them said hello and asked if he could help, I replied asking if he had any of my father’s pots. He asked his name and then disappeared for a couple of minutes emerging with two pots, both obviously made by dad……I was so proud. We spent some time chatting with him and talking about dad, he said he had purchased the pots from dad when he had stopped exhibiting there and said Dad had a few pots in his collection he would like to have!

When we moved to Peaslake in 1979, and after his retirement dad and Margie spent their time travelling the world, spending time with friends, enjoying theatre, ballet and the Proms, and the annual ‘Elmore’ holidays with his brothers & sisters, having such fun. There are pictures of these holidays which you can look at later. One very memorable one is of dad dressed as an Indian chief and Margie his squaw. Dad is wearing a white outfit, with open chest that he has clearly bronzed with fake tan. He is holding his hand up as if to say ‘HOW’ and his hand is almost black from applying the tan!

While in Peaslake, dad started another hobby, Morris Dancing! He joined the Pilgrim Morris from Guildford and spent a lot of time both practicing and performing around the country, and occasionally abroad. I remember once, when I managed a shop in Bishopsgate, dad's Morris side were involved in a film being made in the Great Eastern Hotel, near Liverpool Street Station. Just after a busy lunchtime’s trade I heard the unmistakable sound of bells and realised dad was paying me a visit, in full Morris outfit, the look on the faces of my staff was unforgettable!

During the 90’s they also purchased a half share in a house in Perét, a small village in the Languedoc region of Southern France. They spent a lot of time there with friends and family as regular visitors. Pilgrim Morris also visited and danced in the region.

1999 saw dad and Margie move to Essex and their beautiful cottage, Bumbles in North End. They really enjoyed the village life in North End and made many friends, dad continuing his pottery in a studio he made in the loft area and kiln in the garage. He also continued Morris dancing, joining Chelmsford Morris, until he hung up his bells and retired aged 75!

We have been overwhelmed by the cards and messages received following dad’s death. We would like to share a few of the messages with you, as they make us proud to be his children:

Rodney Allam, a colleague at Air Products - ‘Geoff was not only a very innovative and talented engineer, but also a great artist’

Leanne Smith, a friend - ‘I met Geoff at the Hospice writing group, I feel so honoured and privileged to have met such a wonderful man. He was once showing a doctor and me an exhibition, half of Margaret's paintings and Geoff’s pots, I said “wow, you’re a rocket scientist, Morris dancer and potter, is there anything you can't do?”, he simply replied “I can't knit!”

Sue Fraser, a friend - ‘Geoff had such a zest for life and enthusiasm for everything he tackled, I have some of his beautiful ceramics, a constant reminder of his creative talent’

Pat Buffin, his secretary at Air Products - Your dad was the kindest, sweetest man I have ever known. I spent many happy years working for him at Air Products. He inspired me in many ways and most of all, instilled in me a love of classical music’

Eileen Wigley from Braintree Community Art Group - I don't think I met a kinder, more generous and generous-spirited, more hospitable and loving fellow, whose only concern was to make life pleasant for those around him. His love and devotion to Margaret showed that.

Thank you all for your messages and for coming today to celebrate our dad’s life.

The final choice of music, at the end of the service, is by ‘Jelly Roll Morton’. Dad loved to listen to jazz music, Johnny Dankworth and Cleo Lane, Benny Goodman and many others. One of Marion's memories is of dad, whilst listening to ‘Jelly Roll Morton’, trumpeting with his lips along with the trombones, please feel free to do trumpet along in his memory when we play ‘Dr Jazz’

The last couple of years of dad & Margie's life saw their health decline. However, despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer, dad's primary concern was Margie's health. They worked as a team, caring for each other and after her death last July he made the decision to stop his chemotherapy. He dealt with his disease with strength, courage and positivity, rarely complaining and taking each day as it came. The support and help he got from Saint Francis Hospice in Havering atte Bower and The Helen Rollason Cancer Centre in Chelmsford could not have been any better and we would like to publicly thank them for all they did.
He passed very peacefully and free of pain at 1pm on Sunday 5th March.

Good bye dad, we are so proud of you.