John Peter Swain (24 Jan 1939 - 16 Oct 2021)

In loving memory of John Peter Swain who sadly passed away on 16th October 2021.

John was born in 1939 and his older sister said he was a very cute baby with a head of bright red curls. He spent his early years, during WW2, in West Bridgeford where he narrowly missed being blown up by a bomb which landed in the back garden, blowing out all the windows.

As a child John was often tempted to ‘fiddle’ with things he was not supposed to. At the age of 5, John and his sister were taken to visit their uncle, who was a gentleman farmer in Leicestershire. While his sister was being consoled about fate of the beautiful-eyed heifers (who she had just learnt were going off on the lorry to be made into sausages) John started fiddling with the catch of the pig sty. Moments later, the black and white pig was seen disappearing off into the distance, with their uncle (on his short legs and waving a stick) in hot pursuit. Needless to say, they were never invited back again.

In 1945, after his mother left and his father returned home from the war, he and his older sister moved to live with their grandparents in a very large, seventeen room house close to Nottingham’s Arboretum. His sister said they were given two of the attic rooms and as the house was old, it creaked and was quite scary. His Victorian grandparents were very strict and insisted the children sat up at the table or face having a broom handle put though their elbows, behind their backs to make them sit up straight, and every mouthful had to be chewed at least twenty times. While they were living there, they were sent across the Arboretum to Sunday school but his sister recollects that they spent the church collection money on ice creams instead.

In 1947, the children moved again and from this new address John went to Huntingdon Secondary School for Boys until 1954. His final report stated that he was a ‘smart well mannered boy of pleasant personality’ and that he would make a good employee. On leaving school, John undertook an apprenticeship in Joinery and he worked for The Nottingham Shopfitting Company Ltd from 1954 to 1962 and from 1962 to 1963 as a shopfitter with Timber Taylors.

As a young man, John cycled all over the country but had several accidents. This actually began at the age of 9, when he went flying down the Forest and he hit a car at the bottom and was brought home by a policeman. This trend towards cycling accidents continued into adulthood. He spoke of how he had taken his kneecap off in one accident and another when he was cycling on the ring road, wearing a blazer which was flapping about, and one of the pockets hooked onto the open-ended door handle of a car, catapulting him to land spread-eagled on the car’s bonnet. He didn’t know who was more shocked! John also spoke about nearly going off the quayside at Poole after racing down the steep hill, after happily, and smugly, passing all the cars who were taking it steady, only to realise in horror that the road suddenly disappeared. He was always banging his head as well, something that never changed!

He additionally enjoyed dancing and met his first wife while out dancing at the Palais. They both loved to jive and were very good at it. Every single school disco or church dance, he was up and dancing when ‘Rock around the Clock’ was played.

In 1963, John went to work as a shopfitter and cabinet maker for Hopewells where he continued to learn new skills and in 1966 gained his City and Guilds Full Technical Certificate in joinery and carpentry.
In the winter of 1963 he got married – snow was on the ground and his poor wife-to-be was frozen but John was fine as he had extra layers on under his shirt, much to his new wife’s annoyance.

In 1967, there was a change of career when he went to Eaton Hall College of Education, to train to be a teacher, on the one year course in Handicraft for Men from Industry. His final report stated that he was “a craftsman of high standards” and that he had done very well in his teaching practice. In 1968, now qualified as a teacher, he went to work at the John Flamsteed Secondary School.

In Mar 1973 his first daughter was born and in 1974 he moved schools to begin teaching CDT at The Park Comprehensive School in Bramcote. By all accounts, he was a fantastic teacher. As well his usual teaching responsibilities, he took the children sailing and canoeing and on school camp. However, you could always hear John before you could see him. On school camp, his family, who had climbed up onto the headland above Aberystwyth, could hear him shouting his orders while he had a group canoeing on the sea! He also used his voice to good effect when he played Mr Sowerberry, the undertaker, in the school production of Oliver. He made a very tall and imposing figure in his black top hat.

In 1977 his second daughter was born. He was a very practical dad. He taught his daughters how to clean their teeth, he washed their hair – and even cut it when needed, with the best black handled kitchen scissors.

He had a garage (that he had had built himself) full of ‘stuff’ – like a magical Aladdin’s cave or a ‘Room of Requirements’ - whatever was needed was in there. There were enough tools, screws, nails, nuts and bolts in jars and boxes, offcuts of wood and metal, dustsheets, buckets, paintbrushes and tins of paint to supply B and Q. He had a full workshop with a bench vice and power tools, two canoes, a sailing dingy, ropes, chains, his radio, heater, fridge freezer, tumble dryer, a Morris Minor car, an old violin hanging in the window (later restored for his daughter to play), a recurve bow he made himself, old doors, step ladders, a first aid box with some very questionable supplies in it and enough stationary, pens, pencils, crayons and books for a stationery shop. A favourite summer activity was to give his daughters a bucket of water each and a big brush so that they could ‘paint’ the walls of the house. He would also make them huge A-frames with wood, held together with G-clamps so that they could make play tents on the lawn.

He was excellent at DIY and could do anything he needed. He made doll houses for his daughters, one a replica of the actual house with working electric lights; he taught them lots of woodworking skills though projects like making bird tables and in craft activities for Guide badges. He insisted on teaching both his daughters how to change a tyre when they got their first cars and helped them both with renovations on their houses - even helping one to build a full extension.

He loved sailing and had a love of water sports which he passed on – his daughters were ‘dragged’ to the Nottingham Sailing Club every weekend, one wasn’t quite so keen, but the other loved it and went on to develop her own love of all watersports. He took her swimming and all around the country canoeing. However, canoes had to be tied on in special way, ropes had to be triangulated and lessons were given in how to perfect this art. He was an excellent taxi driver who took his daughters everywhere, waiting outside ballet lessons or music service band sessions. He was also the Safety Officer for both daughters when they did their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions.

John had a great sense of fun and taught his daughters to play card games – Pontoon and 3 Card Brag using bags of old currency, and many Christmas afternoons were spent with the family playing Whist or Gin Rummy – after friendly battles with his own father as to who would get to scrape out the last of the cream jug.

In 1987 he moved schools again to Ashfield Comprehensive School, and then afterwards in 1989 to the Foxwood School, to teach children with moderate learning difficulties. He loved this new job and again shared his love of practical work with them. He taught the children car mechanics and got special funding to build a pit, creating a practical car maintenance course with Broxtowe College. He ensured that all the children with special needs could develop a range of life skills and again shared his love of watersports with them, taking them canoeing at Holme Pierrepont on many occasions.

Although he took early retirement (officially) in 1994, and spent a couple of years doing driving jobs, initially driving 7½ ton cargo trucks, and then for working for Vauxhall, delivering luxury cars around the country, he went back to doing some supply teaching for both Derrymount and Foxwood Schools, as they needed his expertise in the workshops.

Unfortunately, in 1994, his first wife became ill but she did initially recover. John and his wife then enjoyed travelling all over the world. They went to many places including Ireland, Majorca, Canada, Germany, America and also to Bulgaria for skiing. Sadly, his wife became seriously ill again and subsequently died in 2009. John supported her throughout her long illness, caring for her at home all the way through.

In the early 2000s, three grandchildren were born. The grandchildren remember he took them on the Christmas train each year He enjoyed trips with them to the Sea Life centre and Legoland; he enjoyed going out to Brookfields (a garden centre) for lunch and to see the ‘Nemo’ fish. He dug in the sand on the beach, helping them make fantastic castles with water-filled moats. He took them to feed the ducks and made Lego models with them. He taught them to play football, dominoes and card games. He set up Easter egg hunts and let them feed his fish in his garden pond. They remember his cheeky grin and how he was always there for family meals and birthdays.

In 2009, John met his second wife-to-be at the Roundabout Club. They struck up a friendship which over time developed into a warm relationship and they subsequently married in 2013, just after the birth of his 4th grandchild.

John and his second wife lived together in Bramcote and he also gained a stepson and two step-grandchildren. He was a wonderful husband and he and his wife looked after each other. They enjoyed many trips abroad, going to Jersey, Ireland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Fiji and on cruises across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, one to the Canaries and another to the Baltics.

Finally, after a few periods of ill health and a short time in hospital, John passed away on Oct 16th 2021 – aged 82. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.