Edgar Petrie (30 Sep 1931 - 22 Jan 2018)

30/9/1931 Born in Edmonton, East Tottenham. Son and 4th child of Alexander Osborn Petrie and Edith Annie Petrie.
3 Sisters – Edie, Thelma and Vicky.
1939/40 At the age of 8/9 Edgar was taken to Dr Barnardo's where it was found he was nearly blind. He was sent to the East Anglian School for Blind and Deaf Children. Soon after the school was moved from Gorlston in Norfolk to a small village called Glyn Neath in South Wales. The school had taken over a mansion called Aberpergwm which, according to Edgar, was a boy's dream as he and others explored the old house including secret passages built into the walls!! Whilst there Edgar was taught to read and write in brail which he thought was fun as he could read brail in the dark at night when the lights were turned off.
At a later age Edgar was given the opportunity to learn a trade and was put in a workshop where he and other boys did shoe repairs. He took instantly to shoe repairing and one of the teachers showed him how footwear was made and then he was hooked!

1947 - at the age of 16, Edgar left school and went to live in the east end of London where he was given a job in a factory in Hackney. He started by working on high class ladies hand made shoes which he polished. At this time they also paid for Edgar to go to The Cordwainer's College where he met Tony Hollidge and they both learnt all aspects of shoe making. After passing his final exams Edgar became a Master Cordwainer which, according to Edgar, meant he became a Senior Surgical Shoe Maker.

1950 - The Hackney factory closed and Edgar moved to Croydon to work with his friend and after a few years was offered a job in East Sheen making surgical boots and shoes. His Auntie Connie moved to East Sheen too and everything went well for a few years until his aunt was taken ill and died in hospital.

1952 - Edgar moved back to Croydon to work with his friend at Hollidge Brothers. There they got on well with the people of West Croydon repairing and selling shoes for many years. Many an enjoyable weekend Edgar, his friend (Tony) and Tony's wife would enjoy exploring and messing about on the inland waterways (both canals and rivers) of England in a motor launch.

1970/71 - Edgar used to go ballroom dancing with some friends (Alf and partner) where he met Dorothy.
1972 - He married Dorothy and honeymooned in Paris. Dorothy had 3 sons (Raymond, Alan and Eric).
In subsequent years Edgar and Dorothy had many more holidays in, to name a few, Gibraltar, Canary Islands, Channel Islands, Greece, Cyprus etc..

1982 - Whilst working in his shoe shop, some army lads walked in who were off to the Falklands War. They asked Edgar and Tony if they could make some waterproof boots as the standard issue boots let water in. Edgar and Tony made about 30 pairs of specials which were 18" high waxed leather with a special commando rubber sole. When the war was over some of the army lads came back into Edgar's shop and told him that they still had dry feet!!

1996 - Purchased a caravan in Pagham, near Bognor Regis and spent many happy times with Dorothy and family.

1998 - Travelled to Dorothy's birth place, St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean on the RMS St. Helena for a 3 mth vacation. Met several of Dorothy's family who were still on St. Helena.

1999 - Purchased our first property - a 3 bed bungalow in Worthing.

Edgar and Dorothy shared many good times with their friends Burt/Kay and Allan/Mary.

On many a Saturday Edgar/Burt/Allan would have a quick pint whist waiting for the local chippy to cook their evening meal - then back home to sit down and eat with the ladies in the conservatory after which it was story/debate time. Edgar as usual was chairman and all had to let him have the last word otherwise ears ran hot as Dorothy would say!! He was the youngest but, let it be known, he was in charge which got many a laugh. One good time was a visit to the London Eye where they celebrated at the top with champagne - the cork had been removed whilst on terra firma so as not to have a flood or a shattered capsule whilst at the top!

2004 - After the death of his business friend Tony, Edgar agreed with Tony's wife to close the two shoe shops. It took nearly a year to sell off the stock and equipment.

2005- 2017 - Enjoyed many years maintaining his little piece of England and entertaining family.

Friends visited Edgar many times whilst he was in hospitals for his leg problems where he appeared to be the No.1 patient in his ward due to his not understanding/ or ignoring the rules of hospital language which was a challenge to all, but, with his sense of humour he kept other patients from being bored.

Edgars scooter days was another story - tales of brushes with the police for using the wrong type of dual carriageway to making shops re-organise their shelves/gangways to ensure he could drive down them with ease!

Yes Edgar was a man of "I'm in Charge" and his way was always the right way.