When I was about 19 I worked for R. Whites Pop on Bodmin Road in Wyken. We would deliver pop to the Deaf Club at least twice a week, if I recall it was by the Tam O Shanter club. This was around 1972, so he could have been there then ?
He truly was, Tommy. In nearly 50 years of knowing him, I never saw him ever lose his temper. He used to make me laugh though, when his missus would moan at him for something or other and he would just sign to her, "Sorry, can't hear you! I'm deaf, y'know!" He really and truly was one of a kind. His funeral next week will be massive.
Definitely BBR. I was married to his daughter in 1971 (same year my eldest daughter was born - it's her birthday today by the way), and Eric had started the club with others, way before I knew him. It was called the Henry Fry Centre originally (after the founder) but everyone now just refers to it as the Deaf Club. Had some memorable nights there! Cheap booze and good piss ups! And always nice and quiet!
I was told by a driver on the pop round watch what you say in the Deaf Club. I said " why's that when they can't hear ? " He said they are expert lip readers .
Yep. My eldest son is also deaf/mute and he's a big bugger! Even I wouldn't tackle him! He has scars all up and down his arms where he's had to protect himself when he used to go out with mates at night. Arseholes would take the piss because his group would be signing, but our Richard wouldn't stand being taken the piss out of and would go into a crowd of three or four and more. They didn't know what hit them as he was also a mixed martial arts expert! Here he is with his mates! (he's 2nd from the right).
No-one should ever assume that because you're deaf, it means you are weak or thick as shit! The work my son has done is staggering. He has built stuff in his house that a top builder would be proud of. He's also an absolute genius where technology is concerned. His house is like Fort Knox with cameras, alarms, sensors etc all over the place. He's done it all himself. He strips down laptops and PC's for fun. His fingers are a blur when he types. If I send him a text (my only way of contact), he will reply within microseconds! He and his wife (who is also deaf) have two teenage boys of their own and they also foster two lads, both who have learning difficulties, with one being wheelchair bound and also a Muslim, so they have to be very careful how they treat him (food, religion, culture etc) You can imagine how proud I am of my lad and his wife.
A whole page in today's Coventry telegraph newspaper on Eric Mann and his passing. About what a popular bloke he was. Great tribute.
I don't get the Telegraph BBR, and can't find it online. Ah well. I will always remember him as a great father-in-law and friend.
It was the same piece that was online. That's why people don't bother buying it anymore, as you get all Cov news etc online. I get the paper occasionally and saw it featured. Said he made toys for deaf kids, and was a great character.
He was incredibly gifted when working with wood. He used to make fabulous dolls houses, forts and even rocking horses for the kids. He used to prepare and work on the walnut veneer on the old Jaguars at Browns Lane. I remember the day when he chopped off his thumb when using a circular saw in his shed at home. He just came in an held his hand up and signed "Hospital!" He will genuinely be missed by so many people.
I'll ask my brother in law if he knew him as he worked at Brown's Lane too. I was going to send you the newspaper cutting but saw it was identical to the online feature, so nothing to add to it. I'll keep an eye out to see if they do a new piece etc.
He was 92 so he would have retired around 1992 at aged 65. I'm pretty sure that the Jag was his only job for decades so I think he would have been a fairly well known character around Browns Lane. When I first met him (about 1970) he used to drive an old Heinkel bubble car, similar to the one I've pictured below......
HH I can see the dog giving you a hard time as well
That's my crazy little Chihuahua! Probably wondering why I'm moving my hands around so much!HH I can see the dog giving you a hard time as well
Did you go to the funeral ? Bet he had a good send off.
Sadly I couldn't make but apparently it was a huge affair.
I'll get the telegraph this week, may have a feature on it ?