Fred Middleton (8 Aug 1929 - 16 Mar 2022)

Thank you to everyone for your wonderful messages and such kind words and to all that have so kindly donated in Fred's memory to CRUK. I have added our tribute read at the funeral for those unable to join us.

Tribute to Fred
Good morning everyone. It’s lovely to see so many of you here in the place where Fred loved to be. He would be so happy to see so many of his friends and family here. I can still see him making his slow progress with his walking stick up the aisle to come and do the Bible reading, which he always did with great expression. He was as pleased as punch when anyone complimented him on his reading. His faith was very important to him and he was very grateful to the church community for their friendship. During the pandemic the weekly Zoomed services were a highlight of his week and in his last months we would show him the service Patrick had kindly recorded on a laptop and he would sing along with the hymns and join in the responses.

Fred was born in Durham in 1929. He always joked that he’s been born in jail because his father was a prison governor, and as he was born at home technically it was prison property. He was the youngest of 4 children and the only boy and as he freely acknowledged, young Freddy was a bit spoilt. The family moved around a lot with his dad’s postings and they spent the war years in Wandsworth. Fred, never really talked about fear, just told us quirky stories, and he had some empathy for the people of Ukraine as his generation knew what it was like to spend the night sheltering in an air raid shelter, not sure what they would find when they emerged in the morning. On one occasion his sister had cleaned the house for his mother who had gone to visit family, only for a bomb to land nearby and send soot showering down the chimney over everything. To the end of his life, he was convinced there was an unexploded bomb in their garden as he recalled one night hearing 4 thuds but only 3 bangs.

Fred was drawn to the study of physics and became a scientific civil servant, working for a time at the National Physical Laboratory. We asked him once about his career and he said he didn’t really have a career, just moved from one post to another as opportunities arose, but he liked to think he’d made a difference wherever he went. It was during one of these posts at what was then called the Department of Trade and Industry that he met our mother, who was his secretary. They married in 1975. Over the next few years we got to know and love him very well. Mum and he had lots of lovely holidays together, travelling to Australia, Canada, the US, and most of Europe.

Fred had at least 3 leaving dos but didn’t finally retire until he was 77. For the last 18 years of his working life, he was in the Queen’s Awards Office, which recognises outstanding achievements by UK businesses and individuals. He often said that these were some of the happiest times of his career, because of the team work and camaraderie that existed there. He made many lasting friendships and we have received heartfelt tributes from his former colleagues, who told us how they valued his sound judgement, experience and advice. He met the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on more than one occasion, as he never tired of telling us.
For many years he also volunteered in the Civil Defence force, which was supposed to run the country in the event of a nuclear strike, and would go on exercises at the bunker which still lies behind Brachers in London Road in Maidstone.
Right to the end of his life Fred had a very sharp brain and an excellent memory. He loved TV quizzes the Chase being one of his favourites, He always maintained he was a far better quizzer than all the contestants, on almost every topic - his exception being pop culture.

Just a couple of days before he died, when visiting him at his nursing home, I thought he was asleep, I asked Mark who a particular actor on the TV was. Fred opened his eyes, glanced at the TV, said ‘Peter Ustinov’ and went back to sleep.
The breadth of his knowledge was amazing - Fred could give anyone a very good debate on the pros and cons of nuclear power and until very recently he did the Times Crossword EVERY day and was introduced to Wordle and was very good at it.
As many of you here know, Fred loved singing, particularly in this church on a Sunday morning with his church family. In his youth he had been part of an amateur singing group known as a Barbers Shop quartet. In his final months in the hospital wards and then in the nursing home he would suddenly just burst into song, at the top of his voice usually singing ‘My way’ or ‘You’ll never walk alone’.
Back in the day Fred and Mum enjoyed amateur rally driving, answering a series of clues to find the next location. But in more recent years Fred still drove as if he was in a rally, racing other cars at the traffic lights - an unstoppable force that competed to occupy the same space as other drivers. He had a creative approach to driving in a straight line and to parking. He could never quite understand why we politely declined his offers to teach our children to drive.
Fred was incredibly proud to be part of this family, he considered us three daughters as his own and loved us - his son in laws, his grandchildren and – great grandchildren dearly. At all of our weddings our father walked us down the aisle and Fred gave the Father of the Bride speech. He was a proud and supportive father and will be greatly missed by so many.

Towards the end when he was less chatty and so very tired, we would squeeze his hand 3 times, meaning ‘I love you’, a signal he and Mum had used, and he would smile and squeeze our hands back. Fred had a strong faith, he always said he was not afraid of dying – but that he just did not want to leave the family behind.

Our mother, Olive died in 2015 and this morning they will be laid to rest together in a plot that Fred has chosen for them both.

At the end - our dear Fred - went quietly, peacefully, and when he was ready. God Bless you Fred.

In memory of Fred, a lovely man.

An admired and respected ex-colleague. The camaraderie in the Queen’s Awards team, of which Fred was a long-serving and integral member, leaves all of us I think, with memories to cherish.

Enjoy singing with angel choirs.

In loving memory

At the age of 60 after retiring, but not yet ready to put his feet up, Fred joined The Queen’s Awards Office (QAO) in 1989, providing administrative support to the teams that annually delivered The Queen’s Awards to UK businesses and individuals. Over the next five years Fred proved to be a great asset to the QAO.

Then in 1994, he retired again, but still not ready to put his feet up, he returned as a Supervisor on the International Trade category team. Fred’s sound judgement, advice and experience was invaluable to the whole office.

When he met The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at the annual Awards Winners Receptions at Buckingham Palace, I know how proud he was to represent the QAO.

Fred was always dedicated to doing a good job, always reliable, an ‘old school’ team player, and well liked and respected by all of his colleagues. He finally retired in 2007. Fred often told me in later years, that the eighteen years that he worked in the QAO were some of the happiest times of his working life because of the team work and camaraderie that existed there. Whenever we raised a glass of wine or went out for a meal to celebrate the delivery of another successful Awards year, it was not so much as colleagues, but more as friends who happened to work together.

Knowing and working with Fred has been my privilege, and it’s an honour to count him as my friend. Rest in peace.

Fred will be sorely missed at church. I’m sorry but I am away next week so can’t attend the service but will be thinking of you and will be humming “My Way”. RIP Fred 🙏

Fred was a wonderful colleague who was kind and always willing to help. Unfortunately l will not be able to attend the funeral but l have many memories of our time working together. Fred will be sadly missed.

Fred was a wonderful colleague who was kind, helpful and nothing was ever too much trouble. He will be sadly missed.

Fred will be remembered by former staff of The Queen's Awards Office as a loyal and dedicated colleague and a warm-hearted friend.

In memory of a fine man and colleague

With fond memories …x

RIP Fred. An amazing man !

God bless you