Raymond Sisson was a tenacious and hard-working person with a friendly and outgoing personality who would attack any problem that may be thrust at him.

Ray’s career that started in a Wisbech accounting practice, before he resigned to join the RAF for a career in the Military Police, and thereby, ensure that he had a proper career in the forces instead of being called up as one of the last of the National Service intake.

His love of fun started in Wisbech when his Senior Clerk made some comment about him joining the RAF and the following morning opened up his office  to find a large and fiery Rhode Island Red Chicken facing him across the desk with many clucks and squawks of concern.

I met Ray for the first time in December 1965 when he collected me from the railway station to take me for an interview.  Little did I know that this chance meeting was to last for some 53 years and introduce me to one of the funniest and most hard working individuals I could hope to meet.

We renewed this short relationship some seven weeks later when I commenced my career in accountancy to find that the auditor responsible for the audit of my accounts was a ginger haired accountant with a love of football and cricket and a person who would not believe that you could not find the time to join him in his pursuits’ of Tottenham Hotspurs and his love of village cricket. Ray soon moved on to be employed briefly by the insurance broking arm of a city company and then to be headhunted for the post of Chief Accountant for a Tour Operator with overhaul responsibility for all of the annual contracts for all customers venturing forth on Summer Holidays and still retaining responsibility for the Company Accounts. 

During one of my trips to Spain with Ray the local Spanish agent expected many problems with this young bold Englishman who looked as though he had been thrown into the deep end of contract negotiations. Sevi soon found that the young Englishman was a very sharp and determined man who knew what he wanted and soon found that this fair skinned Englishman would not be attracted to the sunspots of his famous beaches but would relax at night with him in their love of fish and tapas – but not in Rays love of Football as the Spaniard was the only Spaniard I have ever met who hated football.

I soon learnt of Ray’s devotion to work when I went one Saturday Afternoon to join him for our usual Saturday trip to Spurs and found him with some intractable accounting problems that he knew he had to solve before leaving for Spain again later in the week. No apologies – just a “Bradley do me a favour and check these additions for me !”  The offices went quieter as the afternoon and evening progressed further with the staff leaving for home. We eventually left the offices at 9.30 that night escaping over the rooftop fire escape and reaching ground level where we managed to find a suitable curry house – but no mention of the Football match of earlier times.

A man of principle Ray was to offer his resignation together with his co-director at a board meeting shortly after when the Company was sold.

Shortly after this I lost touch with Ray’s movements but a telephone call one Saturday morning I was approached with the usual  “Bradley – can you do me a favour – I need a bed for the night and also one for my colleague, we will be out of your hair by Monday “ I was completing my accounts at the weekend and was only too pleased to offer the two nights stay provided that I could be left to complete my tasks.

They duly collected the key from me on the Saturday afternoon. No problems having to explain to them at that one of my Chinese Eataries would be booked for that evening. I left them in their beds when I left in the morning and did not think anymore until had a telephone call mid-afternoon to say - “Bradley – do you have a hose pipe and an outside tap?”

Question from me 

“Why?”

Response from Raymond

 “Having tried to clear the foot of your garden – We thought that we would be good residents and clear the undergrowth at the foot of your garden. Unfortunately, a fire that has taken hold in your garden and therefore your assistance is sought before your house catches fire.

I was able to offer the right words of encouragement with all my oaths of concern deleted.

In Ray’s early years at Hadenham we spent many a late Saturday Evening at either Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club or Pizza Express in Dean Street with couple of bottles of red until the early hours when we would head down to China Town for a suitable end for the day before Ray headed for Haddenham in time to open for his Sunday morning Petrol trade  and his home of Gracelands and I made my way to Waterloo for the Paper train. 

Early in Ray’s life in Haddenhem he was aided by Sadie, an old work colleague, but unfortunately Sadie developed Cancer at an early age and it soon proved malignant with Sadie succumbing to it in the John Radcliffe and with Ray trying to operate the Garage and visit Sadie every evening. These were troubled days.

However Ray’s Life did changewhen purely by chance he was lucky enough to meet Irene when she was looking for a car, and to persuade her to join him at the Garage.

Their time proved a much too short a time together at both Ivor Miles and at Graceland.

Irene dues not need me to say how much both she and Haddenham meant to Ray.