Ted Spargo (1937-2002).

My second cousin, Ted's garden backed on to mine (almost). Until I came to live in Castle Bromwich we had never met, even though we had worked at Rover at the same time without knowing it! It was a great blow to lose him so soon and so unexpectedly: I had visited him twice a day during his final weeks.

Castle Bromwich, 1994

Bert Talbot (1917-2002).

My second cousin once removed (also my half first cousin once removed!), I met Bert only once: in 1987 during a visit to California.

He left England at the age of about eight and went, with his parents, to Rome, NY. After service during World War II on the west coast of the USA he - like many of his fellow servicemen - returned home and persuaded his family to move to the land of milk and honey he had seen: California.

His sister, Marion, has sent me a marvellous photo of Bert as a child - which he hated! This can be seen among my ancestral photos.

Richmond, California 2000

Terry Hastilow (1945-2003).

I first met Terry in 1962 when he joined the youth club at Washwood Heath Methodist Church.

He worked at one company the whole of his life, and became the Works Convenor there.

Birmingham, 1964

Arthur S Blades (1909-2004).

Elder son of a Tow Law (Durham) miner, Arthur came to Birmingham to train as a teacher at Saltley College. Whilst there he met my mother's cousin Bessie Shakespeare. They married a few days after I was born. During his time teachers were never very well paid, but each month he always managed to send some money to his parents to recompense them for the earlier sacrifices they had made on his behalf. When, after their deaths, his relatives came to clear the house they found all the envelopes he had sent - untouched.

And we agonise over the cost of higher education.

Birmingham, 1939

Constance May Shakespeare née Smith (1920-2004).

Aunty Connie, a Yorkshire lass, joined the family in 1947 when she married Uncle John and for more than fifty years proudly bore the name Shakespeare.

A multi-talented schoolteacher, shortly after coming to Birmingham she made a cake for one of my cousins' birthday party. When her sisters-in-law saw her efforts they retired from the scene! Ever since she and her daughter, Gillian, have been the family's (hereditary) cake makers!

Henley in Arden, 2004

Julie Shakespeare née Wanda (1946-2004).

Julie lost her battle with cancer three days before Christmas.

Born in Yorkshire of a Polish father and a local lass she emigrated to Canada as a child, where she met and married my cousin Paul in 1966. She first visited us, with Paul, in 1970. The good reports she took back of their reception encouraged my uncle Jim to return in 1972 for his first (and only) visit since emigrating in 1948. As one of only six Shakespeares in the Toronto telephone book, Julie was an enthusiastic bearer of her married name and visited us at every opportunity. We last saw her at 'Shakespeare 2000'.

Stratford upon Avon, 2000

Lilian Freeman née Shakespeare (1909-2006).

Aunty Lily died in July, only days short of her 97th birthday - the longest lived member of her generation.

She was the next sister to my mother, and had left Birmingham on marriage to Uncle Syd in 1934, never to live here again. She had a quick sense of humour accompanied by an infectious giggle. She loved to attend family gatherings where she could be free, for a while, from the constraints of being the 'Minister's wife'.

Bristol, 1996

Vera Freeman née Liminton (1938-2006).

Following her long battle with cancer my eldest cousin's wife died a week after her mother-in-law and just two days after their youngest son's wedding. Will power is a remarkable thing.

A gentle and much loved mother of four and grandmother of five.

I had been their 'best man' 46 years earlier.

Bristol, 1998

Kate Smith née Shakespeare (1911-2007).

Named after her mother and maternal grandmother, Aunty 'Kitty' took great pleasure in later life from being addressed by her 'proper' name.

A jolly and hospitable lady, she baked and knitted for charity for much of her long life. Her specialities were mince pies, Easter chicks and knitted footballers - usually in Aston Villa or Birmingham City colours - until EU regulations made the fillings of the latter illegal and thus unsaleable. The mince pie fillings were more conventional but equally popular!

Claybrooke Magna, 1991

Edith Marion Williams née Shakespeare (1918-2009).

The youngest daughter of my maternal grandparents, Aunty Marion will be remembered for her singing (she was an excellent soprano) and, like so many other members of my family, her sense of humour.

Her immediate family accorded me the great honour of delivering the eulogy at her funeral.

Claybrooke Magna, 2007