“Once they see you with that on, they’ll never forget you!”
When our nursing team heard about Kenneth’s extensive bow tie collection, they wanted to add to his ensemble with a tie bearing our own hospice colours.
He was delighted to be presented with it in his home by Maria from St Christopher’s.
After receiving it, he invited us to learn about what he’s experienced over the past 98 years.
“I was born 25th May, 1926, 71 Albert Road, Oswestry, Shropshire,” he eagerly told us before we could barely get our notepads out of our bags. Of course, the first thing we wanted to know about was Kenneth’s extensive collection of bow ties.
“Bow ties are his signature,” explained Bronwen, one of Kenneth’s daughters, who has been his main carer at her home in Norbury.
“He has about a thousand. He has more than one for each day, and if you say: ‘I want camels,’ he’s got one. If you want birthday cakes, he’s got one. Dad has got something for every occasion. He even used to wear one when we were digging sandcastles on the beach!”
Kenneth’s passion for wearing and collecting bow ties came from his uncle, Morris Smith, who was the Orchestral Director and Manager for the Covent Garden Opera House.
“My uncle said: ‘I’ll show you how to tie one. Once they see you with that on, they’ll never forget you!’”
It wasn’t just Morris who had musical talent; Kenneth’s entire family were involved with music. His father was a choir master, and this nurtured Kenneth’s love for singing as a boy treble in his local chapel in Oswestry.
The day after his 18th birthday, Kenneth was called up to do military service, although he was not sure which service to join.
“I could have ended up on the top of a tank, but it wasn’t my cup of tea,” he remembered.
“Dad has got something for every occasion.”
“Bow ties are his signature. He has about a thousand.”
Kenneth and one of his many colourful bow ties
Instead, he was sent to Catterick Camp in Yorkshire, where he learned to do Morse Code: something which he can still communicate in today. After spelling our names out in dits and dahs, Bronwen told us: “I bought him a Morse code mug because I could never be sure if he was correct, but he’s absolutely on it.”
After the war Kenneth attended The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he met his late wife, Audrey Kitchener. Kenneth trained as a singer, while Audrey played the piano. It was there that she chose to accompany Kenneth as he toured round the country to sing; their professional careers spanned more than 60 years.
During this time they had two beautiful daughters: Rebecca and Bronwen. Rebecca trained at the same music college as her parents and enjoyed attending many music concerts and charitable events at St Christopher’s Hospice. Bronwen, a trained nurse, greatly appreciates the support and professionalism that St Christopher’s has provided in their father’s later years.
Kenneth decided to continue singing well into his life, performing across the world in auditoriums, operas, clubs, and as a chorister at the RAF church of St Clement Danes in the Strand for over six decades.
Bronwen even recalled a certain special memory: “One time he told me that he had been singing for someone called John Elton… turns out it was Elton John!”
Despite a life filled with so many experiences, Kenneth still looks to the future for more events to unravel in his life. Having recently celebrated his 98th birthday, he’s now looking forward to his 99th, where he and his family hope to host a 99 ice cream party.
Kenneth also aspires to live to be 100 years old, so that he can receive a letter from the King. In the meantime, he enjoys his food, wine, and pints of bitter, as well as wearing a different bow tie every single day.
A portrait of Kenneth given to him for his 80th birthday
“I do feel better having it on than without!”
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