Skip to content

John Barber, Author

Books, articles and blogs by John Barber

  • John Barber, Author
    • Email
  • Biography
  • Spurs Double team
    • The Double Year
    • White Hart Lane
  • Hertford
    • Hertford – county town
    • Folly Island, Hertford
    • Folly Island in photos
    • The Tunnels of Hertford
    • The Old Barge
    • Sarah Stout – Murder?
    • Brewing in Hertford
    • Katherine Ferrers
  • D.I Winwood and Rutherford
    • Colours of the Underground
    • The Cricket Club Murders
    • Seven Days in May
    • The Russian Doll
    • Murder at the Fleetwood
    • The Book of Life
    • When the Dead Rise Up
    • The Naked Cellist
    • John Barleycorn
  • The Fordhamton Trilogy
    • A Little Local Affair
    • Return to Fordhamton
    • The Last Resort
  • Selected published articles
  • 1980’s Britain – a Report

A Time to Remember

12th October 2020 | 12th October 2020
John Barber
Zach on his uncle’s bike

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Yesterday Sunday 11th October marked the fifth year since the passing of my grandson Zach on 11th October 2015. He would have been eight years old this year.

During those last five years it is still not easy to accept things. It does not get better but this is maybe the time to recall some good things that came out of the darkness.

Our next door neighbour organised a collection amongst our friends, neighbours and other residents on Folly Island. The funds bought two rose bushes in large pots and stands. A few people who missed the collection and were on holiday also contributed and their money went towards sponsoring Martin on a Father Christmas Charity Run for the Peace Hospice, who looked after Zach at home.

There was also a generous contribution from all around the town, mostly traders, to sponsor Anne-Marie on the London Midnight Charity Walk.

The management and many staff from Waitrose where my wife worked attended the funeral. They had already organised a ‘Bake-Off’ and released a host of balloons from the area by the River Lea. The proceeds of the sale helped towards the purchase of an acre of land on the Moon (at about ten past two in the Lake of Dreams).

So many people most of whom were complete strangers to me offered their condolences in the street and the Hertfordshire Mercury gave over the front page for my letter of thanks.

Several traders refused payment for items for Zach’s funeral and Keith Young at Messages was always there to drag me back to the real world when I would rather have hidden away.

Every year we mark his birthday and passing by placing some of his favourite toys on the bench in our front garden.

A poem, a truck, a giraffe and sunflowers

Last year we did something extra and floated candles down the River Lea. This year there were eight and launched from Little Hartham.

Eight candles for eight years

Maybe I will never get over the loss of someone so young but the above helps to remind me and hopefully re-assure others that in the darkest times the kindness of strangers will always shine through.

Hertford blog posts

  • Hertford Lockdown Blues 3rd November 2020
  • Regeneration – sort of! 21st October 2020
  • A Time to Remember 12th October 2020
  • Premier Inn Checks Out 27th September 2020
  • Pub – not as we know it 28th July 2020
  • The Village Inn 28th July 2020
  • Hertford Saved! – Doomed! 26th June 2020
  • Fore Street – Solved!! 27th May 2020
  • Seed Warehouse 18th May 2020
  • A Message of Hope 16th April 2020
  • Hertford East Station 8th April 2020
  • Isolation for Folly Island 21st March 2020
  • Bircherley Green 2020 28th February 2020
  • The Great Wen 21st February 2020
  • Everything must go! 5th February 2020
  • Hertford Retail Check 29th January 2020
  • 2020 – a New Year 2nd January 2020
  • A Christmas Carol 12th December 2019
  • Yarn Bomber’s Tree 22nd November 2019
  • Good, Bad and Ugly 31st October 2019
Previous post Premier Inn Checks Out
Next post Regeneration – sort of!

You Might Also Like

Hertford Lockdown Blues

Hertford blog3rd November 2020

Regeneration – sort of!

Hertford blog21st October 2020

Premier Inn Checks Out

Hertford blog27th September 2020

Pub – not as we know it

Hertford blog28th July 2020

The Village Inn

Hertford blog28th July 2020

Hertford Saved! – Doomed!

Hertford blog26th June 2020

Fore Street – Solved!!

Hertford blog27th May 2020

Seed Warehouse

Hertford blog18th May 2020

A Message of Hope

Hertford blog16th April 2020

Hertford East Station

Hertford blog8th April 2020
Copyright © 2016-2021 John Barber, Author. All rights reserved.