Alfred Babb

Born
1 May 1885

Hockley, Warwickshire, England.

Parents
Charles Babb
Elizabeth Smith

Married Louisa Hemming
13 May 1913
St John's Parish Church, Perry Bar, Staffordshire, England.

Death
05 Jan 1977
Canford Heath, Poole, Dorset, England.

Occupation
Iron Plate Roller

Other Information
1891 census-87 Holyhead Road (Milk Shop), Wednesbury, Warwickshire, England.
1901 census-87 Holyhead Road (Milk Shop), Wednesbury, Warwickshire. Iron Plate Roller.

Apr 1921 6 Crescent Road, Hadley - Motor Engineer Inspector - left Apr 28 1925 to 33 Ercall Gardens, Wellington, Shropshire (houses built c1924) for many years before staying with Barbara (his daughter) and John Perks at 349 Verity Crescent, Canford Heath, Poole, Dorset in the spring of 1975 until his death.

Birth Certificate:- Father - Charles Babb, builder, Mother - Elizabeth Babb nee Smith at 176 Pitsford Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire

Marriage Certificate:- St John's Parish Church, Perry Bar, Staffordshire
Groom's father - Charles Babb, builder
Bride's father - Frank Hemming deceased, Furnaceman
Witnesses - William Alfred Powell & Elizabeth Hemming

John Perks (late President Poole & District Parkinson's Disease Society)

by Fay Reeves

July 29th 1919 – 1st May 2007

John died in Poole Hospital after a short illness on 1st May 2007. He became involved with the PDS when his wife Barbara was diagnosed as having Parkinson’s disease in 1983. From 1983 to 1998 he served on the Committee in the following posts: Welfare Officer, Chair, Transport Manager, Vice-Chair. On his retirement from the Committee he served as President of this large and active Branch supporting its many members and our Committee with his fund of knowledge and profound organizational skills. In 1999 he was one of the first to be awarded Honorary Life membership of the charity.

He had amazing organisational powers and steered the Poole Branch through good and bad patches. He was also a great individual fundraiser. Always a keen athletic John did not take up long distance running until he was in his 60’s. Between 1987 and 1992 he completed 5 London Marathons raising some twelve thousand pounds or the PDS Two years running he came 3rd in the over 70’s.

John was born is Shropshire. He worked in a bank until the outbreak of World War II when he joined the army. He then served the Army for 29 years, first in the Light Infantry and then as an Electronics Engineer. When he retired from Army life he worked as a Company Secretary to an Engineering firm and then set up business with his son.

He nursed his wife Barbara for many years and both possessed a positive attitude to life and the restrictions Barbara’s illness placed on it. They both had a lovely sense of humour and a great interest in people.

There are some people who cross your life who make such a lasting and positive impression; John was one of these. He will be sadly missed but as a Committee we feel so privileged to have known him.

John Henry Perks

29 July 1919 to 1 May 2007

John will be remembered for his dependability, his determination, his loyalty, and particularly his can do attitude; his affection for Shropshire, Sport, the Parkinson’s Disease Society, the Church, and the Army; and for being a memorable Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather.

He was born in 1919 and had a rural upbringing near Shrewsbury. This developed his lifelong interest in the countryside, his fondness of animals, and a hearty interest in food combined with thrifty living. This period also developed his deep and enduring affection for Shropshire. He failed the French section of Matriculation, a language skill that he has passed on to all of his children. His first job was with the Midland Bank in the era of hand written ledgers and where the bank had just one phone - Wellington 15. This beginning may be why he never really got to grips with computers.

He was conscripted into the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry in 1939. This was the start of a 29 year career that he genuinely enjoyed although there were stressful periods. Whilst he was in the infantry he took part in an endurance march in full fighting order with weapon, and completed 98 miles in 24 hours. He was one of few in the battalion to complete this distance. It was an early example of his physical fitness, mental endurance and determination. Later he would climb Mount Kilimanjaro – not once but twice.

In 1942 he transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and specialised in repairing radio communications equipment. After the War he was responsible for maintaining the secure communications equipment in the Cabinet War Rooms. Later he was in Malta when it became the communications hub for the Suez Crisis. He made the most of every posting and the family had many interesting experiences in Malta, Kenya, and Anglesey.
In 1968 he retired and took a Company Secretary’s post in Stoke. Unfortunately the firm collapsed after 3 years. In a totally new venture, Dad and Anthony ran a Newsagents in Chell Heath, a challenging area of Stoke. This was very successful but with long hours and virtually no days off.

After five years, in another complete change, they bought a prepared vegetable business in Bournemouth, supplying local hotels, restaurants and hospitals. In one way it was not a change, as the long hours and virtually no days off continued, with the addition of copious amounts of cold water and repetitive heavy lifting. Dad’s competitive streak came into play and he saw no reason why a man approaching sixty should be beaten by anything, an attitude that would continue for the next 20 plus years.

In 1983 John’s wife Barbara was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and he became an attentive and compassionate carer. They joined the Poole and District Branch of the Parkinson’s Disease Society. He contributed as a Committee Member, Fund Raiser, Chairman and finally as President. John was one of the first to be awarded Life Membership for his contribution to the society.

John was always a keen sportsman, a competitive footballer, athlete and later squash player. In his late 60s and early 70s he ran five London Marathons, all around the 4 hour mark. He was third in his age group for two years in succession. He raised over £14,000 in sponsorship for the Parkinson’s Disease Society. In his later years he still liked to keep active; by sawing logs at Hopewell or going to the Gym.

He was also a keen watcher of sport, principally athletics and football. In fact it is family folklore that the first Television was only bought because of the 1972 Munich Olympics. He also enjoyed card games, which he played with almost professional zeal, a skill honed in his early days in the Army where he was often able to double his pay playing Poker.

In recent years his jars of marmalade and pickled onions, and the collection of "useful" things in the garage contributed to many a stall at Church fetes, Mothers’ Union, and Parkinson’s meetings.

John was a complex man with simple principles and a strong Christian ethic. His overriding attribute was that he liked to get things done. He will be missed by all that his life touched.

Barbara Perks 1914-2004 by Fay Reeves

Barbara wife of our president John Perks died in Poole Hospital after a short illness in January. She had had Parkinson’s for 21 years.

John and Barbara had been married for 62 years. They met in their hometown of Wellington, Shropshire. Barbara was a Comptometer Operator and John worked in a Bank, until the outbreak of World War 2 when he joined the army. John served in the army for 29 years, first in Light Infantry and then as an Electronic Engineer with REME. John and Barbara had several overseas postings during this time and one of their favourites was in Kenya. After leaving the army they ran a Newsagents store with their son, then on moving to Poole a prepared Vegetable business supplying local hotels with ready prepared vegetables.

Barbara was a “people’s person”. She was always interested in others. She had a keen sense of humour, quiet smile and a most amazing memory for people, dates and events. She enjoyed listening to people and hearing about how everyone was. She was a great reader and I can remember discussing with her a wide range of novels from Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles to the Brother Cadfael mystery stories. She enjoyed watching television and Emmerdale was her favourite “soap”. She was a life-long Christian sustained by her faith. She was also a member of the Mothers Union.

We shall all miss the little lady with the sparkling eyes, wry smile and dry sense of humour sitting smartly dressed at the back of the hall at our meetings. However unwell she felt, she always had a cheery smile and a friendly greeting.

Barbara is survived by John, their three sons, one daughter, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Barbara May Babb

Born
1 Nov 1914
Hadley, Shropshire, England.

Parents
Louisa Hemming
Alfred Babb

Married John Henry Perks
8 Nov 1941
All Saints Church, Wellington, England

Death
5 Jan 2004
Poole, Dorset, England.

Occupation
Comptometer Operator
Housewife
Newsagents-family business in Chell Heath, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England 1971-1976

Other information

Barbara Perks 1914-2004

John Henry Perks

Born
29 Jul 1919
Smethcote Farm, Church Stretton, Shropshire, England.

Christened
Wroxeter, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

Parents
Nellie May Griffiths
Henry John Perks

Married Barbara May Babb
08 Nov 1941
All Saints Church, Wellington, Shropshire, England.

Death
1 May 2007
Poole, Dorset, England.

Other information
John Henry Perks - Eulogy
John Perks late President Poole & District Parkinson's Disease Societyby Fay Reeves