Chris Wozencroft (23 Apr 1958 - 18 Mar 2022)

Chris Wozencroft was born on 23rd April 1958 in a nursing home in Bitterne, not far from here. Chris was born to Hazel, a housewife already caring for Chris’ older sister Janet & Ray a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at the technical college in Southampton. Chris grew up in Chessel Crescent, in the same house I believe Janet, still lives to this very day.

In 1961 when Chris was just 3 years old, his parents took a motoring holiday to Switzerland. This pioneering experience of taking 4 adults and two young children nearly two thousand miles in a small car and then flying home was certainly not an experience for the feint hearted. This is undoubtedly where Chris got his first taste of adventure.

It is little wonder that as a youngster Chris enjoyed cubs, and scouts and ventures, especially camping with the scouts as well as any outdoor pursuits and family caravanning.

Chris attended Bitterne infant & junior schools before moving to Merry Oak Boys senior school & Janet recalls that as a child, Chris had an inquisitive mind and enjoyed taking items apart to see how they worked. Just sometimes things didn’t go back together again in the right order! No doubt this interest developed into the job he eventually did.

She remembers that aged around 9, Chris was gifted a kit for Christmas to build a very basic radio, which he got to work on in his bedroom. One afternoon he came downstairs very sheepishly after someone said into his earpiece “I have CW interference”. He was so worried about what he had done.

In the mid 70s the family moved to Lower New Road, West End, the home to which Chris returned to when his parents became frail and where he ultimately lived.
On leaving school at 16 Chris took on work experience with Seata, then later secured an apprenticeship at IBM in Hursley. At the end of the apprenticeship, he worked for IBM in Havant, later he moved to another firm then finally for ministry of defence on Portsdown hill. Eventually Chris would work for himself for over 40 years – a feat he was very proud of.

After many nostalgic childhood caravan holidays – there came cruises, often on the Canberra and often frequently with his parents to destinations far and wide, from Spain to the Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia, The Caribbean, South America, New Zealand and the States to name but a few.
In 2003 – Chris and his parents even ventured round the world on a 6 weeks trip to Las Vegas, Flying over the Grand Canyon, New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, Sydney, Singapore and a further trip took them to Toronto, Niagra & the Rocky Mountain Railway.

Chris also ventured to many destinations alone such as Hong Kong, Vietnam & the Great Wall of China & even worked overseas for IBM in Sweden and America.

Although Chris’ life was tragically cut short, he certainly saw some of the world, in fact most of it!
Chris had many other loves in his life from theatre to classic cars & of course, sailing & his spirit & warmth meant that he developed a close network of friends.