David, I was thinking of you today, and looked you up. So sad. We went to RLS together and we played tennis,first at Raphaels Park and then Gidea Park tennis club. How posh ! Ive lived in California for over thirty years and often thought about those 'tennis summers' 1973-77. We went to Wimbledon together around 1977. RIP big man.
David 'Dave' Nicholas Grosvenor (31 Dec 1960 - 15 Jun 2019)
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David 'Dave' Nicholas Havens Hospices
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In loving memory of David 'Dave' Nicholas Grosvenor who sadly passed away on 15th June 2019.
A loving husband and father to Jonathan, Natasha and Anthony.
David was born in east London to Patricia and Walter on New Year’s Eve at the start of the swinging sixties. He was brought up in Elm Park and was the eldest of three children. From what I understand he was not too happy about the arrival of his twin sisters and asked him mum why she had to bring home two siblings!
He had a very happy childhood going to scouts but his real passion was playing football. He passed his eleven plus and went to Gidea Park Grammar school but failed to fulfill his potential as football often got in the way of any learning. Holidays were happy memories too, visiting the Isle of White every year. We recently revisited the Isle of Wight on a very emotional memory trip and relived those memories, talking fondly of those times. I am sure Liz and Anne will be able to update on these times.
I met David in March of 1978, shortly after I moved from a mining village in South Yorkshire to the bright lights of London. We met in his local pub, where he liked to frequent, called the Bridge House in Upminster Bridge. We both worked for NatWest Bank, him on the processing machines, me in an office at Lothbury which then was their head office.
He knew how to treat a lady by taking me to music concerts to watch The Stranglers, The Jam, The Buzzcocks, The Clash and numerous other punk rock bands. Him with his short trousers, his jacket borrowed from his dad with paint all over it and the obligatory Doc Martins. After a visit, to the what I would loosely call the ladies, I understood why he wore those long Doc Martin Boots!
We got engaged in the spring of 1982 and were married at Rainham church on 27th August 1983. The day was very hot and had been so for the whole of the summer. We were joined by family and friends and was the best day of our lives thus far.
We honeymooned in Jersey but in the rush of leaving the reception I left my handbag behind with everything in it, so his dad had to drive down to Gatwick hotel to drop it off. As anyone that knows him, he did not see the funny side.
We revisited Jersey last October and again reliving some of our most precious memories.
After seven years of having some lovely holidays, we decided it was time to move onto the next step in our lives and along came our eldest Jonathan in January 1990, followed closely by Natasha in October 1991. Life was good and we were living in a nice house in Chelmsford until our world fell apart by illness followed by redundancy from NatWest Bank. David found this time of his life difficult but with support from his family we got through this and having moved to Eastbourne, our third son, Anthony arrived in August 1995. Our family was complete. In June 1996 we moved to our present home in Benfleet and David started his job with Transport for London as a station assistant in the city.
Things were settled, our family became his whole world and every year there was a family holiday, with eastern France being the preferred destination, whilst the children were young. Enjoying good times in some superb campsites and good weather.
David was very proud of all his children encouraging them to make the most of their talents whether it be academic as with Jonathan and Natasha both gaining degrees or Anthony achieving great things in his chosen sport of cricket. All the three children are well rounded, confident young adults and we are both extremely proud.
As the children grew into adults we then began to start the next step in our lives and went on holidays often twice a year to his favourite place, Cyprus. Unfortunately this has been cut short by this terrible illness and I know he felt robbed of the good times to come and would apologise daily.
He had no need to apologise to me. It has been a great pleasure to have been loved by David and I feel lucky to have spent 41 years of my life with him. He will always be my husband and soulmate and the father of our children. Rest in peace my love and we will meet again I am certain.
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