Harold Mitchell: An Appreciation

Harold (known in Reading as Harry) worked most of his life in the building trade. Like most people his age in Kilcullen, he left Ireland to work in the Reading area with colleagues from school. Prior to this he had various jobs in Ireland, and my earliest recollection of him was as a postman. He worked the country route and would ride off on his bike with his bag full of post. He always came home with more in the bag than when he started -- chickens, eggs, butter and home-made bread -- most welcome to a large family.

Harold was an extremely generous person and, like his father before him, would give away his last penny if he thought someone's need was greater than his. He frequently provided friends and neighbours with eggs, rabbits, joints of meat and anything else that 'fell off the back of a lorry'.

He had a great love of horse-racing and could spend hours in front of his TV as long as there was a race meeting to watch. With his friend Arthur, he did his annual pilgrimage to Goodwood and, just before he became ill, had fixed up a trip to Ireland for the Irish Derby. He has probably visited more race-courses than most -- no doubt inherited by being born so close to The Curragh. It must have been a great blessing living so close to Ascot, Newbury, Windsor and Cheltenham!

He was not a great one for expressing his feelings, but he loved his family dearly, particularly his grand-children, and to the end he was concerned for their safety and welfare. Thelma, Christopher and all his family will miss someone who brought laughter to their lives. We will remember him most for his famous jokes -- the legs of salmon he promised to deliver and the fish sitting under the bridge to keep out of the rain ...

Harold had many words of wisdom to impart on his fellow man but he used the minimum amount of words to get his message across! One of his favourite sayings was 'live while you can and die when you can't help it'.

We shall all miss him.

Ann.