Richard "Dickie" Fenn RIP

This afternoon I heard the sad news that Richard "Dickie" Fenn passed away yesterday.  Dickie used to be the Emergency Liaison Officer for Tower Hamlets Council. This wasn't a 9-5 office job.  Over the years (or rather decades) Dickie and his team used to be on call 24/7 to respond in person to floods, fires, boiler failures and any other emergencies that borough residents experienced including terrorist attacks such as the 1996 IRA Dockland bombing. 

I guess that thousands of East Enders have been glad to see Dickie turn up at say 4am in the morning to sort out a flood and clean up the mess.  I never as a housing officer had any complaints at all about him and his team from residents.  Which is astonishing when you consider the nature of his work.

Check this post out on his retirement "Do" in 1999. My favourite "Dickie" story is this one

"In the 1980’s he was a Head caretaker in Bow and he went to visit a property that had been allocated to a new member of his residential caretaking team. As he entered the flat he found the Caretaker’s pregnant wife with two young toddlers in tears at the state of the flat which was damp, mouldy and totally unfit - which should never had been let to anyone – never mind one of his caretakers. Dickie looked around the home and told the wife to pack up since he was moving them. He then arranged for the family to be moved and stormed off to senior managers and successfully demanded a new and decent home that same very day.

The actual caretaker himself wasn’t aware what had happened until he went home that night to find his old home empty".  Needless to say Dickie enjoyed huge loyalty and respect from his staff.

Picture is from a trade union safety inspection I did in 2007 when his team was to be based at the new Sutton Street depot.  We were both arguing with management about the traffic safety management system. 

My sincere condolences to Dickie's family and friends at their loss.

Update: To those who want to pay their respects to Dicky. His funeral will be held next Wednesday 2nd November and the details are as follows:
10:00am　　　　　 Our Lady Immaculate RC Church, 636 Commercial Road, London E14 7HS
11.30am　　　　　 City of London Cemetery, Aldersbrook Road, Manor Park, London E12 5DQ
2.00pm　　　　　　Docklands Sailing Centre, 235a Westferry Road, Isle of Dogs, London E14 3QS
His family have requested that donations be made to Marie Curie Cancer Care

End of an era retirement Do

On the way home tonight I stopped off at a traditional Tower Hamlets “leaving do” which was being held to celebrate the retirement from the Council of Richard “Dickie” Fenn after 40 years of service to the local community.

Dickie was the team leader of the Emergency Call Out service who would turn out rain or shine, day or night, 7 days a week to deal with the aftermath of fire, floods, storms and all the other borough disasters.

The IRA probably posed the greatest challenge due to the widespread destruction following the Dockland bombings in 1996 when his team had to board up smashed windows to some 500 council residential properties. As a housing officer you knew you could simply reply on Dickie and his team to turn out and deal effectively with practically any emergency you could throw at them. He was an example of the "old school" council worker at its very best.

Dickie started off as a caretaker in the GLC during 1969 and was then transferred to Tower Hamlets Council following its demise.

The “Do” was held at the Calder Wharf Community Centre on the Isle of Dogs. It is probably one of the best located community resources in East London, right on the banks of the Thames overlooking Greenwich Naval college. The sunset was stunning!

There was a good turnout of people to join Dickie and his family and help them celebrate his retirement. People who I haven’t seen for years. Of course there was also a free bar and buffet. I have no doubt that the celebrations are still going on now (its only 22.25).

During the semi formal presentations there was some fond traditional teasing of Dickie by his manager comparing 1969 with today – for example Dickie’s alleged career long reluctance to pay into the Tea club since he considered this to be part of his GLC Green book terms and conditions - and that when he was employed as a GLC housing caretaker, his wife had to be interviewed as well as him to make sure that she was “suitable”.

There is one story that was not mentioned that I remember that sums up the man best and an era that has now long gone.

In the 1980’s he was a Head caretaker in Bow and he went to visit a property that had been allocated to a new member of his residential caretaking team. As he entered the flat he found the Caretaker’s pregnant wife with two young toddlers in tears at the state of the flat which was damp, mouldy and totally unfit - which should never had been let to anyone – never mind one of his caretakers. Dickie looked around the home and told the wife to pack up since he was moving them. He then arranged for the family to be moved and stormed off to senior managers and successfully demanded a new and decent home that same very day.

The actual caretaker himself wasn’t aware what had happened until he went home that night to find his old home empty.

(I forgot my camera but others were taking pics so I will try and get a photo)