Obit: Bob Baker (part of Test Longsword) Oct 2009

Subject: Bob Baker
From: GUEST,Rob Orton
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 05:50 AM

Bob of Basingstoke died on thursday morning. He was a member of the former Test longsword based in Whitchurch hants and a frequent visitor to Sidmouth folk festival where he could often be seen dressed in impresive smocks. He also stewarded at Whitchurch Folk Festival

The funeral will be at St. Thomas of Canterbury Church on 5th of November at !pm. Friends welcome at the sevice

I post this with the blessing of his sister to reach fellow folk fans who might not otherwise learn of his demise.

Subject: RE: Bob Baker
From: banjoman
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 06:48 AM

Bob was a real forthright character and we new him when he was part of Test Longsword. Always spoke his mind. I recall him having a row with the camp warden at Sidmouth because his tent was just encroaching a white line and he refused to move it.. An old friend -sadly missed
Pete & Maggie

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Baker (part of Test Longsword) Oct 2009
From: GUEST,Rob Orton
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 07:10 AM

I understand that a get together is to be arranged after the 1 pm Funeral venue to be announced at the funeral

Subject: RE: Obit: Bob Baker (part of Test Longsword) Oct 2009
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 09 - 04:18 PM

The venue after the funeral is The Fox (top of Fox Lane) by turning to Oakley. It will be in the Function Room.

Family flowers only.Donations to Water Aid can be made via the undertaker if desired.

I met Bob in the early 1970's when we were both members of Reading IVC. IVC usually had a ceilidh twice or three times a year. On the back of this I invited IVC members to join me at Reading Midsummer folk festival where I was the Festival secretary. I recruited Bob onto task force (also incidentally my later to be husband, Mike). Bob soon became hooked on folk and festivals - especially Sidmouth.

At the time that Bob was dancing with Test sword a group of us were doing rapper sword dancing in Gill Redmond's sitting room and Bob was part of this group. Brian Bibby provided the music on his concertina.

Bob was very conscientious in the security aspects of AWE where he was a union rep. He was devasted to be voted out of his union job the year before he retired.

Bob could be dogmatic about many things but he was also very loyal. Once he gave his word he never renaged on it, and he never broke a confidence.

Bob came to stay with us (we live in western Suffolk) when he was travelling to his sister, Hilary in Eastern Suffolk. The last occasion was last Christmas when he was clearly extremely unwell. His time with Hilary was cut short and he was back in hospital again.

Both Mike and I were able to come down to visit Bob thanks to Brian allowing us to 'camp' on his drive !

See you on the 5th
Babs Surridge (nee Goodyear)