Geoff Garfield

A very good friend of mine classifies people she meets into “do-ers and watchers” i.e. people who make things happen for themselves (do-ers) and those who wait for someone else to solve a problem (watchers).  Geoffrey is undoubtedly a “do-er”!

 

Now filling any spare time has never seemed to be a problem for Geoffrey. As a former member of the very successful Gloucester Life Saving Club he will tell you stories of how he was involved in the teaching/examining of life saving skills for Police and Fire Services and one look at his ears will bear testament to 20 seasons of local rugby at the sharp end in the ‘front five’ (he even got to play at his beloved Kingsholm - C’mon Glaws!). And if ever he was actually at “home”?  Well it seems he has built most of them and extended a few others as well.

Almost incidentally apparently, he did manage to undertake some paid employment with a ‘proper job’ working for Dowty -38 years in all- from Apprentice (the lad!) to Production Manager (him in the big office!) at Staverton, Nottingham, Bookham and even Milan!

 

So, how come Frampton, and how come bands?

 

Well to explain Frampton is easy – and for a handsome (who writes this stuff?) young rugby player it had to involve an attractive young lady. Geoff had met Nancy – his first wife - a Frampton lass born and bred. Eventually, of course, Geoff just had to build a house (the first of two) in the village and the Garfields had arrived!

 

Banding?  Well again, when he was about 10, Geoff had learnt to play the cornet with the old ‘Glevum Band’ in Gloucester. Fortunately none of his later rugby playing exploits had resulted in any permanent ‘dental rearrangements’, so, after rugby, Geoff could still play the odd scale and arpeggio!

In August 1977, when a meeting was called in the village with the possible aim of starting a band, Geoff attended and very fortuitous it was too! All the intentions were good, but starting a band needs cash! Geoff had faith and purchased the band’s first set of 10 second hand instruments with a personal interest free loan of indeterminate length. But Geoff’s enthusiasm didn’t stop there. He immediately joined in to help with the teaching of youngsters in the village -  so six months, and a lot of Christmas Carols later, his loan was repaid and Frampton Band was up and running. For the next twenty years, where the Band was, there was Geoff – Committee Member, Chairman, Chief fund raiser and Bb Bass player.

 

Subsequently a lot has happened. Geoff and Nancy’s daughter Judy, who also played with the band, grew up, got married and emigrated to Australia. Geoff and Nancy decided to follow her ‘down under’ where they eventually gained citizenship and moved to Western Australia permanently. Geoff continued his house building (5 more in total ) and banding with both Bunbury City Band (2 years as their President) and Busselton Town Band. He has even played in two Australian National Championships in Launceston,Tasmania and Melbourne (rather further to go than a day trip to Weston!).

 

Sadly, Nancy died in 2003, but some 5 years later, Geoff met Shirley -the now second Mrs Garfield- at the Table Tennis Club (What? When did he take up that sport?).

He has, apparently, now given up house building (come on Geoff, every bloke needs a shed or two!) and has vowed to spend more time travelling the world and to take life more ‘easily’.

 

Yeah, right on sport! We’ll believe that when we have it in writing from Shirley! As we said at the start, there are ‘do-ers and watchers’ and in 2008, when Geoff brought Shirley to Frampton during the latest round the world trip, it was our pleasure to invite this particular ‘do-er’ to become a Life Member of our/his Band.