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Wednesday, 1 July 2009

In memory of 'Aunty Fran'

Frances Hadlon 1918 to 2009


Four Generations of Hadlon at Jonathan and Samantha's wedding reception December 19th 2008.
Is Jane doing a Larry Grayson?


I started going out with Annette in 1975, aged 15. So I've know Fran since then too, as she or husband John were always visiting Betty and Albert, or we were passing and popping in to her lovely house in York Road, Hall Green, right on the corner of Russell Road, opposite Yorkmead School. Fran was charming and tiny. I can remember, once, being the bodyguard and escorting her home after she'd been visiting Betty and Albert and darkness had set in, just up Tetley Road and down Reddings Lane to York Road. (She was so tough, that she probably would have ended up protecting me) With her familiar East Midlands "Hello me duck" and "Taraa Duck" she could endlessly talk about anything with a surprising depth of knowledge. As time went on, we all found ouselves having to shout at her as her hearing deteriorated... In fact, apart from her fragility, her deafness was the only thing that did affect her in later life.

Today I sadly attended her funeral at Robin Hood Crematorium. The funeral program is here. Jane, Sue and Pete were all there, along wih their own families. I was there to represent Annette and of course, Betty and Albert, who along with John enjoyed many a night out at The Home Guard Club in Hall Green. (One Sunday a month when Annette and I could be guaranteed to NOT be disturbed...)

It was a moving service, and I choked in the 4th or 5th verse of "Abide with me" and then luckily I had my sunglasses as Eva Cassidy's 'Over the rainbow' had me in floods. When I hugged Jane afterwards, my snotty nose was directly because of that and not to down to the swine 'flu doing the rounds in Solihull and Birmingham.

Here's to you Fran, born 17th January 1918, died 18th June 2009, Aged 91, God bless you, and rest in peace. XXX

Post Script: Gifts in memory of Fran (and John) to SSAFA (c/o Braggs, 562 Stratford Road, B90 4AY)

DTW 1/7/2009

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