Dennis Gordon Barrett (22 May 1926 - 20 Dec 2017)

In loving memory of Dennis Gordon Barrett who sadly passed away on the 20th of December 2017, aged 91 years.

Floral tributes may be sent to John Weir, Chatham by 9.00 am on Tuesday the 9th of January 2018.

Donations, if desired, for "Parkinson's UK" may be sent by cheque c/o John Weir Funeral Directors, or made on-line via this page.

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Dennis was born on the 22nd May 1926 in a terraced cottage on the main road at Stockbury, later demolished to make way for the new dual carriageway road. The house belonged to one his mother's sisters, Kate. It is not known why Denis was born there, but it must have been about the time of the family moving from Conyer to Rainham. Denis was the first son to grow up entirely in Rainham. After the birth of his sister Sheila in 1929, the family moved to the three bedroom terraced house at 92 Maidstone Road, although all three brothers had to sleep in the same bed.

He went to Solomon’s Road Infant School, where he quickly showed himself to be good at sports and maths. His good health was interrupted by tuberculosis showing as a swelling on one of his shins. Regular visits to the TB clinic in Nelson Road, Gillingham, cured the problem, but it must have been another burden for Annie, his mother to cope with. At eleven he moved on to Orchard Street Secondary School, but clearly stood out amongst his class, because two years later won a place at Chatham Technical School for Boys. This involved a long bus journey every day to Huntsman’s Corner, Chatham; but he still found time to play football for two separate teams. These were difficult times for many working class families and Denis was frequently sent down to the Co-op Bakery in Rainham at closing time, to ask for the stale cakes before they were thrown out. Annie would work her magic on them and turn them into puddings to have with custard. She made Denis and his older brothers go with her to Sunday morning service and then on to bible study class in the afternoon. This enabled the family to qualify for parish relief, which was still paid in those days to poor families by the church wardens at St. Margaret’s, Rainahm.

Amongst his out of school sporting activities, Denis found time to join the 1039th Air Training Corps at Barnsole Road, Gillingham. It was as an ATC cadet that he first saw the horror of war. At the time of the Dunkirk evacuation, he volunteered to assist with refreshments at Gillingham railway station for the exhausted troops coming up on the trains from the channel ports. He saw first hand the disheveled and fatigued soldiers, some with terrible wounds, waiting to be sent on to other parts of England. When his older brother Harold started work as a full time butcher, Denis quickly stepped in his shoes and picked up the Saturday job at Kemsleys, doing meat deliveries on the bicycle; his first paid job.

Denis did well at school, leaving at 15 with several school certificates. He started in 1941 as an apprentice coppersmith at Short Brothers flying boat works, Rochester. Denis worked in the big No. 5 shed at the Esplanade which had its own underground workshops cut into the cliff, but fortunately the Luftwaffe never made more than a few nuisance attacks. Times were hard and bus fare too expensive, so Denis cycled between Rainham to Rochester, whatever the weather. Even lunches in the work’s canteen were passed over; instead Annie made him sandwiches, beetroot and cheese most days. Wartime wages everywhere were poor, but after paying his mum for “board and lodgings” he still had 2 shillings a week left over. A weekend treat was a visit to a boxing tournament at the Casino Rooms Rochester, or a dance at the ATC hall. By the time he was moved to Short Brothers bomber works at Rochester Airport, he had a regular girlfriend, Beryl. In 1943 although still only half way through his apprenticeship, conscription was going to compel Denis into the armed services. Not wishing to be drafted into the army, he volunteered to join the Navy, where his airframe knowledge could be put to good use in the Fleet Air Arm. After a few weeks naval initiation at HMS Pembroke, Chatham; he was moved on to Lee on Solent for basic training. By the summer of 1944 Denis was posted to a naval air station on the Isle of Man. It was here that he met a 17 year old wren, Molly from Dudley, who he would three years later marry. A new posting to Scotland would be followed by another to Egypt and finally Malta. The Eastern Mediterranean would have been a region of conflict both at sea and in the desert only one year earlier. However, the naval life here was now pleasant and peaceful. Denis achieved several promotions during this time and was made a petty officer. He enjoyed the sporting life, camaraderie of his mess deck colleagues and time spent ashore with pretty local girls. He kept in contact with Molly throughout his time abroad, but communications were slow and patchy. On return to England they recommenced their relationship again and decided to marry. The war had been finished over a year and people were leaving the armed forces and returning to civilian life. Denis enjoyed his brief naval career, but thought it time to leave and settle down.

So, on the 4th April 1947 shortly after “demob” Denis and Molly were married at Our Lady and St Thomas’s RC church at Dudley. Den’s brother Alan was best man and Molly’s kid sister Barbara was bridesmaid. Despite food rationing the reception was a grand affair and held in function rooms above a town centre restaurant. The couple left by train that evening for a honeymoon at Hastings. However because of fog, the express was late arriving at Euston, with the result that they missed their connection and had to spend their wedding night in the waiting room at Victoria Station. When they did eventually arrive in Hastings, the guest house and weather did not work out much better.

With little money and even less hope of finding accommodation, they first settled in Rainham with mum and dad, Charles and Annie. Denis’s new bride was from a very different background than they were used to; catholic, Black Country accent and inflexible to her new surroundings; Molly must have been difficult to absorb into the household at 92 Maidstone Road. Life in the little cottage became even more trying two months later, when his sister Sheila and Bernard were married and also moved in. Denis had the chance of returning to his old job with Short Brothers, but they had moved to Belfast, which did not appear a good idea. As a short term measure, he decided to apply to become a bus conductor with the Maidstone & District bus company at Gillingham depot. However, his job application was spotted by the general manager who was looking for a bright young man in the wages office. Denis and Molly left the cottage in Maidstone Road and rented a little house near Gillingham Pier for a while, before moving on to rooms in a house in Eastcourt Lane, Twydall. Post war accommodation was scarce and many landlords had a no children rule, which caused great concern when Molly was found to be pregnant in the autumn of 1947. Fortunately, Dennis had made a favourable start at the Maidstone and District and he was offered the tenancy on a little house within the grounds of the bus depot at Nelson Road, Gillingham. It was damp, noisy and polluted by diesel fumes, but it became their first family home. Denis and Molly’s first child Kevin was born at Pembury Hopsital in April 1948. During these early years, Denis was a keen sportsman and participated in events at the sports and social club. Finding the time must have been difficult, because he also worked evenings and weekends with his brother Harold in the decorating business to earn extra money. Molly too had a job at Featherstones store in Rochester, leaving Kevin to walk home from school alone. They usually had enough money for a seaside summer holiday staying in guest houses and taking advantage of cheap bus fares. Molly had her second baby, Jeremy in May 1956. Both boys were sickly children and lost much schooling due to asthma.

Although Denis’s white collar career began as a pay clerk, it was not long before he moved to the head office at Knightrider House, Maidstone. It was there that he was thrust into the new technology which we now call computerisation. The Maidstone and District bus company had a huge hourly paid labour force with a complex wage structure. The management wanted to have the weekly payroll produced by one of the new Hollerith Tabulators which were being marketed by International Computers Ltd; and Denis was soon recruited to be the project manager. He was sent away on numerous courses to learn the new technology and soon built up the computer department with a large staff of female punch card operators. However, the work load and responsibility put a great strain on his health, which lead to a mental breakdown in 1958. Denis was admitted to Oakwood Hospital for several months’ treatment, including electric shock treatment. His boss at Knightrider House, Mr. Chapman supported Denis during this crisis and kept his position open. After his return to work the computer department continued to expand and it was not long before he found himself on the junior management team.

In 1964 Dennis and Molly made the big step to buy their own home and moved to Wilmington Way, Rainham Mark, where he was to live for the rest of his life. Although he had given up his sports activities and evening work, the new home kept him busy with many DIY improvements. Prosperity of the 1970's enable Dennis to buy his first new car and enjoy overseas holidays. He enjoyed good health most of his life and frequently lent a hand to friends and family with their garden or home improvement projects. Well into middle age Dennis and Molly embarked on a new hobby of sailing. They bought their first boat in 1981 which they kept at Gillingham Marina, enjoying many weekend adventures in the River Medway. Lots of new boating friends were made at the sailing club.

New computer technology of the 1980's meant that the big data processing department was not required and in 1984 Dennis accepted early retirement from the Maidstone and District Bus Co. after 37 year service. Retirement presented unexplored sailing opportunities, so two years later with a new yacht he embarked on a French adventure during his 60th year. With Molly as navigator he set off from Gillingham to find warmer sailing waters in the Mediterranean Sea. Traveling through the canals of France most of that summer, they arrived at Port Camague in Southern France. The marina there was to be their second home for the next 15 years. Many new boating friends and lots of parties kept them afloat for most of the summer months. Den's physical agility gradually declined and by the age of 75 they finally decided to sell the boat in France and return to a more restful lifestyle. For the next ten years cruising the oceans of the world aboard luxury liners became their favourite pastime.

By the mid 80's he was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease, which showed little effect at first, but a serious fall on the stairs at his home in 2013, began a dramatic collapse in his health. Broken bones were slow to heal and he spent more and more time in hospital. He returned home on several occasions, but the falls were becoming more frequent and it became clear that he required constant nursing care. Dennis moved to the Royal Naval Benevolent Society's home Pembroke House in Gillingham early 2016. His agreeable nature and friendly ways made him a favourite amongst the staff there. His wife Molly visited him three times a week and ensured that he knew their love for each other never faltered. He died peacefully only a few minutes before his family arrived to give his a prayerful send off.