Peter Dennis Holder (29 Sep 1940 - 18 Sep 2022)

Dad was lodging with mum’s sister in Wigston Fields House called Hainton. Leicester side of Kingstone Avenue
Mum was employed as a nanny also in Leicester. They met and were married in 193? At Sixhills Church (Near Hainton Lincolnshire).
Born 29/9/1940 Stoneygate Nursing Home then home to 135 Oadby Road.
Remember nothing of war years apart from siren but did not understand it apart we had to hide under the table.
First school was Bell Street Infants. Again remember very little apart from peeing up the wall and frozen milk in our school milk bottles.
Second school was Long Street National next to Working Mens club. Memories but certainly time spent with Ivor.
Dad employed by WARAG delivering farm machinery and Land Girls to Leicestershire farms. Remembering riding in his lorry an Albion reg. CS 7100.
No family holidays but mum would take us to Hainton for a long summer holiday. She to look after Grandma who lived with Uncle Charles who was the cowman for Hainton Hall. No electric, water out of the well, toilet down the garden. To get there was:- Bus to Leicester, Bus Leicester to Grantham, Bus to Lincoln and then wait for bus to Hainton which only ran 2 days a week. A long day but worth it many happy memories helping ? Uncle on the farm he was a lovely man.
Grandma died 1948 so the end of holidays as Uncle Charles moved in with his son and worked at RAF Waddington.
1948 WARAG finishes Dad employed as Chauffer/Gardener by Mr Worthington who owned chain of grocery stores around Leicestershire. Sometime after Mum also employed by Mr W. as housekeeper. This resulted in Mr W. loaning his wife’s car (Austin A40 Devon) to us at weekends. We then had many day trips to Lincolnshire to see Aunts & Uncles and of course 4,Littledean Hill. Here there would be a big family Sunday Dinner.
It then became norm for me to holiday with Ken & Francis in Bromsberrow for the long summer holiday. Employed ? by Francis’s brothers in their building business happy happy times. I also stayed with Elsie sometimes.
As a family I can only remember one holiday in Skegness and it rained. However a happy and loving childhood. Fields in front and behind the house dens to build, adventures across the fields and helping Dad in the garden and 2 allotments. Hours spent playing with Ivor football, flying model planes, photography, building crystal sets and of course train spotting usually Cookes lane but occasionally we would cycle to Kilsby Tunnel a round trip of 40 miles.
11plus saw me go to Kibworth Grammar what a change hard work but happy memories. What to do? a dentist or something electrical. School careers man suggested I would be better suited to the electrical option leave it with him.
Midland Dynamo offered an apprenticeship which was, in hindsight, the best there was.
I had found my niche and career. An exciting 5years working all over Leicestershire in just about every industry, also attending college 1 day and 2 evenings a week I loved it. Most of the time was spent on breakdown work so problem solving which again suited me. No heavy labouring as in the installation side of the business. As it happened, I was on the initial course run by the college studying electronics the forerunner to computers.
At the time the hosiery industry was importing sophisticated electronically controlled machines from America which with my college training meant I was, at 21, the man to work on them. Indeed the electricians were quite happy with it as to use their words it wouldn’t last. The work got more sophisticated and so I decided I was worth a pay rise. My foreman and mentor politely said no. ( the rise I asked for was 1 old p ). SO when I saw the BSC advert I applied and was offered the job they would pay me £14 a week as opposed to £12. At the time I was totally unsure about leaving but there was a principle and a headstrong individual. Indeed Midland Dynamo offered me 2p to stay but I decided I would show them.
1961 I met a young lady called Christine thro a blind date. Magna cinema and stock car racing what more could a girl ask for more.
BSC was getting better by the day and I was given day release to study for a degree in electrical engineering. In 1964 we were offered a maisonette on site subject to being married. This done 19/9/64, Honeymoon Isle of Wight and then new home 8 Wembley Road. Looking back we were so lucky no rent or bills to pay even had gardeners. Hobbies now included Rallying and Grass track racing.
1968 saw the arrival of Alison a perfect baby, slept at night and well behaved during the day. Again happy days able to carry on racing with cotton wool in her ears.
1970 during a chat with my boss he suggested I should look for a job and see more of the world. He was planning to stay at BSC until retirement and so no chance of my getting his job until 1995. Here fate played a hand, advert in paper that night, 2 weeks later offered the job with Leesona an American Company as Electrical Engineer to help set up UK factory to produce electrical winding machines and responsible for servicing the company’s range of similar machines in Europe. Problem we will need a house. Quick ride round on Saturday pm last one being in Croft, boxes ticked, Sunday morning second look with Roger and offer accepted. Yes to job and move planned “Have I done the right thing?”
So off to Croft and all worked well. 1971 saw arrival of son Ian. Let us say as a baby / small child had he arrived first ***. But all went well our family was complete.
An interesting job setting up new factory, visits to customers in UK, Italy and Germany. In 1972 whilst at company HQ in America I learnt that UK operation no longer required and Leicester would be closing. But then FATE again. Returning home Ivor had been on the phone. Turned out he was offering me a job as Chief Engineer with them. Designing transformers and AMUSEMENT machines might as well nothing to lose. A brilliant move loved the job, interesting and a great place to work the small size workforce meant it was very much a team effort. Again travel to Italy and amusement parks in UK.
Such was the success of the business that new premises were required. So 1976 I then had the job of converting an old hosiery factory, I had previously worked at with Midland Dynamo, into a much larger manufacturing unit for J.M.Clark. Again thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 1977 Stan Wells a good friend had, unbeknown to me, suggested to Ellistown Pipes I was the man they were looking for. Offered the job as Group Electrical Engineer WITH a car I decided to move back into maintenance engineering rather than production as at Clarkes. A truly happy time but perhaps time to move on.
Remember the first day at Ellistown, November walking up the yard cold, raining, mud what had I done.? After that I didn’t look back a great job. With factories and quarries from Chesterfield down to Worcester electrical systems from 11k volts down to sophisticated control systems I was in my element. A great team of people to work with a lot from the mining industry laughs and more laughs.
Happy days at 39 and village life, guides, scouts and Croft show. Holidays in Croyde Bay and then into caravanning “proper”. A train set to build for Ian? Fully automatic what else.
Then November 1979 BSC offered me the chance to run the Maintenance Dept. Norman sadly in very poor health coupled with fact the dept. in a bit of a mess. Ellistown offered me more to stay, BSC upped the offer so with mixed feelings I accepted BSC. Jan 1st start date but public holiday so no pay I was unemployed for a day not good!!
Indeed early days were difficult now a manager rather than an engineer a big change. Fortunately my boss was very supportive (Bill Dean) as was his boss Andrew Duncan the M.D. who I knew from 1960,s as the project manager (and Financial director) responsible for building Braunstone. A lot of electrical/commissioning problems during the 60’s which he wanted to know about from the shop floor rather than contractors who were economical with some of the facts. Indeed it was Mr Duncan who suggested we had 8, Wembley Road after getting married! A man of the old school NO one addressed him as Andrew a well respected gentleman.
1982 and the building of a state of the art computer block for the whole of the Sears Group. Whilst the project was controlled by a team of contractors I was made responsible to A. Duncan to ensure the M. & E. side of the project met our standards. I was back into engineering at its best.
Added to that we? decided to move house October 15th. 83. Several months later still wondering was it the right thing to do? With hindsight absolutely. Summer 1981 had seen me helping out on a local farm in Thurlaston so obvious to save travel.
1983 and a PROUD Parent moment when Alison was made a Queens Guide.
1984 Work settling down, home very busy sorting Wickenby and occasional visits to farm. Ian joins Air Cadets 5822 SIR!
1985 First Driving Lessons with me. Ian in Grandads 1100 then Alison in firm’s Cavalier. They are growing up.
1986 87 Many happy times Alison has first car and job and Ian what else ? a motorbike.
1988 Mum and Dad Holder celebrate 50 years
1989 Another PROUD Parent moment Alison receives D.of E. GOLD followed by her Engagement to Gareth
1990 Sunday 18th March we drop Ian off at Nottingham Station for train to Skegness and Cranwell. PROUD Parents again.
1990 Thursday 2nd August Another PROUD Parent Day Ian’s Graduation, now an Officer in THE RAF, what next?
1991 A busy year but mum H. poorly and in hospital
1992 A Sad start to the year we loose mum on New Years Day. Dad leaves 135 in January into The Grange Nursing Home
1993 February PROUD Parent day at RAF Finningley Ian awarded his Wings
1994 A good year until November when sadly we lose Dad.
1995 PROUD Grandparents this time Adam arrives July.
1996 February saw us in New Zealand with Roger and Glenys. Super time and we meet up with our cousins.
1997 PROUD Grandparents again Sophie arrives July. Early retirement and full time job on the farm. September I return to BSC to help close the place down. At that time it was not general knowledge that it was closing.
1998 BSC closes July I then become consultant for the new owners Merrill Lynch. (Eventually Blackrock). This involved the refurbishment of the site in order to attract tenants. Thoroughly enjoyed the next 20 years sorting the engineering problems out until finally helping to demolish the site in 2017/18. My biggest attribute being I knew where everything was I should do given I had been there when the place was built in 1963.
1999 PROUD Grandparents again James arrives April.
2000 PROUD Grandparents again Miles arrives .
2001 We meet up with Elaine and daughter in Bath
2002 So with 4 grandchildren, BSC, Farm and a Caravan we settle into a lovely busy retirement. Many happy times.
2014 September and a trip to Canada with P&B where we celebrate our 50yrs together.
Caravanning with I&G and P&B super walks and days out. Many trips over 20yrs plus with P&B exploring Great Britain walking exploring the countryside, visits to N.T. properties and other interesting places. Caravanning certainly enriched our lives and gave us some super trips. I also enjoyed the maintenance side of the van although it was a pain at times.
Gardening especially the allotment gave satisfaction but never to the standard set by Dad.
With 4 grandchildren growing up many happy times, treasure hunts, party games holidays in caravan list is endless. Just a shame they grew up so quickly but we now have 4 young people to be proud of. Including of course their parents who have given us so many proud and happy times two of the best children anyone could wish for. We have been so lucky to have such a wonderful life with so few problems. Of course this is also due to having a very understanding and loving wife and mother. I guess it is only in later life I realised how lucky I have been to have met and married my Christine. No more words just a big big thank you for being such a wonderful wife and making my life and our family so very special.

The Farm
Elsie always said I should follow Grandfather and be a farmer. Certainly enjoyed childhood at Hainton farming with Uncle Charles and John Richardson (who later married cousin Shirley). 1947/8 saw me steer John’s new Fordson Major whilst he jumped off to check the loading machine on the back. H&S !!! There was talk of David or I on leaving school going to work with him. So from an early age farming in the blood. Moving to Croft and backing onto the farm and watching the seasons go by only furthered my dreams. Speaking to John G. I was invited to spend time at Hill farm with him on the combine. This led to helping collect and stack the bales a job which exposed my lack of fitness but must be doing me good though.
Following year John rang to ask could I help with the corn carting as his full time help on holiday and barley was ready. This followed by bale carting and then in September could I help with the winter drilling ? could I !!!
Following year and son Mark returned from world wide farming trip not sure I would get on with this young man. Full time help not needed now as John and Mark could cope. Unfortunately John had medical problem and decided to retire I then fell into helping Mark out. As time passed Mark brought in changes and I would spend most weekends and then holidays helping out. Obviously enjoying it but at the time did not realise just how unfair it was for Christine. So nearly 40 years later I look back on a truly interesting and enjoyable experience but again so unfair on Christine who has been so forgiving. On a health note I do believe the physical work has kept me in better health than the desk job. Working with Mark has been testing at times for both of us however this has resulted in a very close relationship which I value as hopefully does Mark.