Firstly I would like to apologise for being unable to be with you all today to celebrate Ken's Life. Unfortunately due to health reasons the Doctor will not let me travel from Australia. Ken was born on the 3rd of April 1929 and was the eldest of 3 children (Ken,Bernard and Audrey) born to William (Bill) and Olive Yates. He was born at the Grange Hare Hatch near Twyford Berkshire and his early childhood was just like any other young child's life in the 1930's except that once a year we all went to Auntie Louie's house near Brighton for 1 weeks holiday. In 1940 with the war just started our father ,a market gardener by trade and there for exempt from service in the armed forces, decided that Hare Hatch was too close to London for comfort and so changed his job to a Big country Garden in a village called Brynmenyn in South Wales. Ken who was now 11 years old enjoyed the new found freedom of Brynmenyn as there was plenty of common land and woods to play in. When Ken left school just before his 15th Birthday his first job was in a Ironmongers shop in Bridgend- about 4 miles from where we lived. This first job was really only a stopgap as all his life he had been mad on trains and his ambition was always to get a job on the Great Western Railway. After only a few months in his first job he applied for and was offered a position in the Line Control section at Reading Station of the G.W.R. That began a 49 and a half year working life ..........and love affair with Steam Trains. This time was only broken by his 18 months national service when he reached the age of 18. Luckily for Ken when he moved to Reading he was able to live with our Grand-mother who still lived at Twyford and so was able to settle into his job. When Ken retired in 1994, he had obtained through numerous promotions one of the top positions as a Controller from Paddington to Bristol Line. So you can say he achieved everything that he dreamed of in his chosen Profession. When Ken retired from the G.W.R in 1994 at the age of 65 he was able to engage in his main passions which were 1. Watching football 2. Horse Racing 3. Dancing 4. Going out for Meals at Country Pubs (I.E Not Necessarily in that order!) 1. FOOTBALL For years Ken supported Reading and when they got promoted to the Premier League two years ago he was exstatic This season they are struggling to stay in the Premier League so lets hope for Ken's sake they will. 2. HORSE RACING Until a couple of years ago Ken was a member at both Ascot and Newbury Race Courses and for years he had never missed the 1000 and 2000 Guinness at NewMarket and the Derby and Oaks at Epsom. Lets hope that Kens wish to have his ashes scattered on Ascot Race course is granted. 3. DANCING Ken loved his dancing and up to about 3 years ago thought nothing of driving a round trip of 50 to 60 miles to one of his dances. He was also on the committee of at least one of his dancing clubs and also chairman at one period as well. 4. GOING OUT FOR MEALS AT COUNTRY PUBS I would say there isn't a Pub within 20 miles of Woodley that Ken has not visited. If you asked me I would say his favourite Pub would be the Queen Victoria at Hare Hatch...which is within 100 yards of the Lodge at the Grange where he was born. In 1997 Ken realised his ambition to come to Brisbane Australia for a holiday with my family. We had a ball with the high light being probably Our trip to Melbourne to the horse racing which included the Melbourne Cup.....the race which Australians will tell you is the race that stops a nation. Everybody in Life has certain events and saying which you never forget. Ken was no exception so here is three of the best. 1. When I was born in October 1932 Ken was just 3 and a half years old. The next day as soon as he woke up his first words to our mother were " HAVE YOU STILL GOT HIM MUM" 2.Ken told me this about his lovely wife Betty. When Ken first met Betty she was in the Wrens and on their 1st date he arranged to meet her in Reading. When she arrived he got the shock of his life as she had six other Wrens with her. His first thought when they came into view was how am I going to handle seven Wrens. Anyway they were only there to see if they considered him suitable to be trusted on his own with Betty who was one of their own. Anyway he must of passed their test as it resulted eventually into 53 and half years love affair which produced three lovely daughters in Susan, Gillian and Maureen. 3. This next story concerns his friends and workmates on the G.W.R. In the mid 1060's Ken fancied a horse in the Doncaster St Leger which is the last classic of the season's flat racing.His friends at work were ribbing him that the horse, which up to then was a modest handicapper had no chance in a classic race. Ken said if it's a wet track watch out! On the morning of the race it rained in buckets and the horse named Provoke bolted in at the juicy odds for Ken at 7 - 1. When the result was known every controllers office switch board lit up and over the intercom everybody heard that Yates"s Horse had won. Since Ken and I retired in the early 1990's I have managed to come over to visit Ken in England on six occasions,with the last time being just last year. During my visit we went for a five day trip down to Brynmenyn in South Wales and during our visit we organised a get together of some of our friends from our youth, in one of the local pubs. Of the 25 I contacted...23 turned up and a great time was had by all. Ken generous a s always and unknown to me had organised sandwiches for us all and paid for them. This in fact was one of Ken's Great Gifts. His generosity knew no bounds as certain charities and his dancing clubs will verify. In closing I would like to say that Ken was more than just a Brother ....He was also my best friend and was always there to give me good advice if I need any help. Since we both retired we have been in regular contact on the phone at least 3 times a month. I am going to miss these hour long chats, where we discussed family news and sport . I would like to finish this tribute to Ken and his life with a true Australian expression. GOOD ON YOU MATE. SEE YA! REST IN PEACE MY BROTHER