Dave Higson has left us

[JessieMcDonald]

'Look Ratface - Growler!'

'You could smell the chafeing from here'

'Ooooyah chuffah!'

'I'm not happy me'

'Are we going for a few scoops?'

'Pass me that beermat'

etc. etc.

Miss you already.

[laurence wilbraham]

So many memories, just a few ....

The sugar sprinkling episode with Johnny Potts at the Goyt.

Putting a dead rabbit in Helsby's welly and positioning it just inside his tent so that it would be the first thing that Graham saw when he woke up.

Building a racing boat at his house and coming back after the pub we decided it should be ready to take out of the mould. For anyone who'se built a boat you'll know how difficult it can be and how much noise it can make. So we brought the mould out of the garage onto the drive as quietly as possible which wasn't very quiet given the state we were in. We then proceeded to take it apart. Twenty minutes later we suddenly had the feeling we were being watched and looked up to see Bert's head sticking out of the bathroom window. He didn't say a word and didn't tell us how long he'd been there but he had a big smile on his face!

My first job was in Leicestershire and at the time Hig was doing his Building Surveying course at Leicester. I shared a room in his house, colloquially known as the 'Higson finishing school for young gentlemen'. We each had to produce a meal one night a week for everyone and Hig's culinary skills were, it's fair to say, rather limited - he had one only recipe - corn beef hash which we had winter and summer.

In the summer of 1979 he helped me build an extension on my first house at Ashby. He had a habit of naming all the tools - Trevor the trowel, Harry the hammer etc. but he never told you the names of them. So when he said "can you pass me Thomas" I would pass him a trowel only to be told "no Thomas the tape measure not Trevor the trowel!" He could spin that game out for ages.

The same year we went to northern Italy and then Augsburg where the great stein robbery took place. One of our party took a fancy to the litre beer pots we were drinking out of but the landlord saw us pass two of them out of the window and called the police. We were subsequently escorted to the campsite in two VWs - two big policemen in the front and three of us in the back.

When I got married Hig was my best man. The church was 40 minutes away from Ashby and all the way he whistled the theme from 'The Great Escape'. It was also the same weekend as Howsham slalom and he kept saying it's not too late to get there for first runs, turn left onto the M1 and we'll be there in an hour. After the reception Andy Beecroft, Gatfield and Hig came outside and with Sue and I did a pyramid then Hig initiated a game of frisby with the bridesmaid's Juliet caps on the lawn outside the Civic Hall in Solihull then pretended to be a horse hanging out of the back of the Djs horse box in which he transported his disco equipment - pictures to follow.

Have forgotten more parties we were both at than I can remember but some belters at Ashby and Wakefield and of course he scrubbed up well for my 50th.

We always knew it would take someone very special to become Hig's partner and of course he found that person in Laura. Lots of banter between them but it was always clear that they loved each other dearly and he thought the world of Maeve and Lily.

I feel very privileged to have known Dave and have a huge admiration for him. He lived life to the full and always had time for everyone, a joke and a kind word. I'll miss the siren call across the campsite 'Higsonnnnn' at future events.

Sue talking now, I am finding it very difficult to type anything as I keep crying, as I have at various moments over the past few days. I can't imagine what you are going through Laura Maeve and Lily and the rest of the family as I just feel a huge blackhole has opened up. Quite simply I loved him, I met him through Laurence and when I worked at Manchester Eye hospital and was living in the nurses accomodation he would call and take me to some very sulubrious curry houses complete with plastic tableclothes and a good chance of catching something fatal unless you had the 'suicide' strength which would kill anything!

He was always fun to be with, always ready to listen and so patient. He got 25 hours out of every day, was always the last to go to bed and everyone that met him loved him. When Andy phoned us with the news we were at my parents and my father said they broke the mould with Hig. The first time he met them, he walked straight in and said to my Mum, 'Hello Mother is that kettle on!' At our wedding he asked my youngest sister, a sweet innocent 17 year old if she wanted to play hunt the worm with him in his sleeping bag later! Can you just picture that dirty old man face he would pull! Our son John remembers sitting with him late into the night at the Has Beens drinking and putting the world to rights, wise old Man Higson who never lectured or patronised and is remembered with the greatest fondness by all ages. Wherever you are Dave you will always be remembered here with a smile, a chuckle and a sigh.

our thoughts are with you all, all our love Sue and Laurence x

[buck197]

I send my condolensences to his family and am very disappointed I didn't know or meet this legend. Some very moving tributes to a character that the paddling world will surely miss.

[Twill]

The shock in everyone's voice tells us what a huge gap Dave will leave, but what great memories we have of such a fantastic friend.

I think back to a crazy summer spent with Hig straight after leaving college. A chaotic trip to Sort with the Naughty Boys followed by summer at Ross working for PGL. Great days on the river inventing ever sillier games and taller tales for the kids, then wild, cider fuelled evenings at the Stag with car surfing or skinny dipping to follow. Lots of Bugsy Malone and custard pie throwing with punters led to the notorious flanning of Ross-on-Wye's finest Traffic Warden on the High Street. Dave as get away driver had another close shave with the law, but got away with it again.

Afterwards Dave talked of that time as like living in a fantasy world and life could often get like that with Hig. Wherever you were there was always fun to be had if you just used your imagination a bit. Whether it was winding up street vendors in Marrakesh, trying to trade a silly hat for hash, or bonding with the locals in Burt's Bar, West Virginia (next to the jail to be close to family and friends) Dave had a habit of finding the most interesting characters around and getting them involved.

Family trips we shared always had the same sense of fun and adventure. Camping on Anglesey, trips to Wild Cat Island or the "Indiana Jones" family rafting trip on the Euphrates saw Dave in his element. Entertaining all the kids with his songs and games before long beery evenings full of great crack and steady banter whatever the weather. Dave could always find the lighter side of life even crammed in a soggy freezing tent, but just loved a good campfire anywhere.

So many evenings with paddlers have turned to tales of Higson and I am sure there will be many more to come. It's crap that Dave won't be there to share them because life was always more fun with Hig around, but I am so glad I got to know him and shared some fantastic times.

We're thinking of you loads Laura, Maeve and Lily.

Hope to see lots of you others at the funeral.

Radar, Pat, Jamie and Ewan

[davebrads]

A picture of the Alamo

[Chris Ingram]

I will always remeber the tale, often told, of a walk, a fence or stile, and dave ending up a bit lopsided. And the landrover. And the broken gate. And.....

RIP Dave

[rogerhuyton]

Like everyone who has written here, my memories of Dave are of really great times both on and off the river. Its difficult to give justice to any story about Dave by just writing it down, I know that we will all be telling the stories for years to come over a few pints (quite a few pints as Dave has something to do with it). But I have been lucky to have been away on kayaking trips many times with Dave and I suppose one instance that sticks in my mind is the time we all got stuck in a gorge in Morocco and had to walk out just as it was getting dark. Dave had as always stashed his crutches in the back of his boat and we had a steep climb out, hauling up the boats to a safe flat spot, then walking out back to the van which took 6 hours. It was tough for all of us but for Dave getting across the desert on his crutches it was really tough.

Yes Dave will be missed terribly, but we all know there is no way he will be forgotten or ever be stopped being talked about when a few of his mates get together.

[jhbradshaw]

My condolences to Dave's family and friends.

He was indeed a larger than life person. He was someone I looked up to when I started canoeing with Manchester Canoe Club in the late 1970's.

A couple of fuzzy memories which may or may not be accurate:

I remember camping at Marple at a club event one year and my sister and I being woken by Dave Higson and a posse of other members of the canoe club as they decided on an after-hours paddle on the Goyt wearing little other than spraydecks. Needless to say I remained firmly in my tent as I listened to what sounded like tribal chants before they got on the water.

I also remember him canoeing at Serpents Tail and missing a gate on the Tail section. Instead of keeping going, he hauled himself up onto the rocks - still in his kayak - and using his strong arms, jumped his kayak up the rock above the gate, where he reenteered the river again making the gate.

He was always friendly and helpful to us younger members of the club. I am very sorry this has happened and my thoughts go out to his family and friends.

Julia Bradshaw

[hoolz]

thanks for this Ian...........not the way I wanted to get back in touch, regardless of how amazing, bold, scary and funny all the stories are....
what a void.
so sorry to get the news.
Laura, Maeve, Lily, what grand times you must have shared. my heart hurts for your loss. an amazing man. full of living in the moment.
great to have such fantastic memories, and now so many new stories.what a guy, as they say in canada !
I've been away a long time. I think 25 years now and, yes, I treasure all those crazy memories I have of what I think of as the 'wild years'......
I guess they just kept on going and getting better and better !!!!!!!!! GOOD !!!!!!!
oh you naughty boys canoe club......wish I'd never left !

I remember vaguely through a self induced alcohol enhanced haze talking nonsense to a police man hoping not to poo my pants, because, well, I'm a bit of a chicken, whilst ian or/and flo and the boys were chatting and saying polite things like ' yes officer, oh no officer ' and keeping him busy, and looking at them.......meanwhile something strange was happening to his tires....
it was dark, I think he had a big torch....I was definitely a bit bit ... well, pissed actually,
anyway, I think it was the domino kid.
balls of steel that man, and I know, cos I also remember arriving at a party at a house...maybe the one next to mount wilbraham...stairs figure as an essential element..any witnesses to this ? anyway ... the door opens, I step inside .... hear the yell ' HOOLEY ' and look up just in time to see Dave, who I realized later, whilst I was in recovery in the psych-ward, had launched himself headfirst from the top of the stairs a mere fraction of a second before...., his hair, yes that little tuft at the front, seemingly with a life of it's own, wafting in the breeze, and steering him at I guess 33 feet per second per second specifically to make contact and knock me backwards at high speed out the door and back into the garden on my arse ..... and yet somehow Dave, managed to pick me up and roll over, so it was he who hit the ground first, completely unscathed, still laughing, doing that big grin, and me whimpering smashing pelvis and, well, groin first into his nuts, and I have been traumatized and childless ever since for which I am truly grateful. I'd have been a terrible dad !

oh that cheeky monkey !

what a singer too.
how a bout a Higson songbook ? is there a tape ????/ I'm never able to remember the words to the "whore of honalulu" .
I have a box of photos and slides I'm going to dig out and maybe have some shots of the alamo at grandtully.....
that was when I REALLY wanted to be in your gang !!!!!!!!

love you all. Hoolz.

[Croft]

Late 70s - after disgracing ourselves in the morning at the traditional MCC Boxing day race on the Goyt and in the pub afterwards, Dave somehow persuaded me (a lifelong red) to go down to Maine Road to watch his beloved City play ***** (memory problem).

At half-time Dave decided we should visit the urinals which at Maine Road had an elaborate 1-way system. Of course Dave wanted to go in through the out door (which was nearer) and we were stopped by an incredibly lucid young copper who castigated Dave for upsetting the "contraflow" system.

Words were exchanged, I chickened out, but Dave went in through the out door. He could be a determined/defiant bast*** at times - hold your breath!

After his family (incl. Bob the dog), canoeing, City were probably a close number 3 in Dave's loves. Dave had recently taken to calling me Wayne (Rooney) - coz he's pugnacious, probably eats pies too and shares the same hair style - if anybody else had given me that nickname I'd have decked em.

(great to hear from you John Hooley - we missed you too man. One of the incidents John refers to was at Flo's stag, the stag had been bound naked and abandoned for the night inside a telephone box outside the Blacksmith's Arms, Linton-on-Ouse, the police arrived at the scene and whilst they were investigating, Lamb Chop and Fingers amused themselves by letting down the policecar's tyres)

[Putty]

Where do I start?
The day BabyFace Higson and Radar turned up at Court Farm PGL heroic gladiators of the canoeing world (to someone who’d never been in a boat) my world was changed.
From Hig driving the getaway car for our ‘custard pie the traffic warden’ end of season high jinks (and parking it in the wrong place so we couldn’t find it with out balaclava masks on), to leading this novice down Brabyn’s Park Weir on the Goyt without explaining that you needed to paddle hard and straight rather plop over it sideways and play the hell out of the stopper, to summer and winter days cruising in North Wales, to a winter Swimming Trip to the Lake District late 1983 (supposed to be a canoeing trip but couldn’t fit the roof rack on my Morris Minor) completely submerged in our Speedos in every Lake and River we could find, to frying pan and raw egg ‘cricket’ at Lidderdale Road, and Frank Sinatra at the tops of our voices at the Italian restaurant just down from the Philharmonic Pub in Liverpool, to cowering in eddies and leading the Flotilla of ‘Dads and Kids’ to Wildcat Island, and to laughter, endless laughter just being in your presence.
Sorry if this sounds like it’s about me but losing you is like losing a big part of me and there’s a big hole left inside.

Ian Beecroft’s Stag Night; Ian turns up at Parr’s Wood ‘slalom course’ one afternoon with surprising news of his imminent wedding. A night’s drinking in Didsbury ensues. When I get back to the pub for last orders after a night’s studying (Psychiatry ‘Finals’ the next morning) Higgy, Ross, Alison, Adder, Graham et al are steaming drunk and Hig’s decided to drive everyone in KAK (another in the line of his beloved series of Ford Cortinas) to the Cyprus Tavern in the centre of Manchester for further celebrations. I wrest the wheel from Hig and start driving to find that we’re running out of petrol. We limp into a petrol station and while I fill up, a commotion ensues around the back of the Cortina Estate. It turns out that Higgy is nicking everything that’s not screwed down from the forecourt and stuffing it into the back of his car, including the battery ‘top-up’ container and the swinging ice-cream sign. We proceed into town but the flashing lights catch up with us just outside the Plaza Café home of the legendary Suicide Sauce ‘Chicken’ (actually dog) Biryiani. A breathalyser later we all pour out of the back of the Black Maria through the portcullis gate that is the criminals’ entrance to Longsight Nick to the immortal words ‘It’s a one way trip from here son’. Higgy staggers up to the bewildered looking Desk Sergeant beseeches him to let us all go and protests that the guilt is all his.While we cower in our cells, Higgy even in his inebriated state is at the desk demanding that they look after the woman groaning in the nearest cell who seems to be in pain and that the Police are ignoring, assuming that she’s just pissed. The rest of us are eventually released while they keep Hig for charging, and return to pick him up 2 hours later to find that he’s now best mates with the Police on duty, sipping tea from one of their best mugs and having a laugh and a joke. He strolls out of Longsight Nick with a great big grin on his face and the police mug in his hand and within 10 minutes we’re back at the Plaza Café troughing a ‘dog’ biryiani suicide sauce special. Charlie the imposing proprietor of the Plaza slaps Hig on the shoulder and says ‘Dave, you shoulda got me to have a word with those guys (the police), they’re my boys’
That’s the way it was with Dave, if you knew him, and he knew a lot of people, you loved him. Even when he was drunk he was looking out for others.

Laura, Maeve, Lily, Bert and Bob, I know if I feel like this how bad must you be feeling, but we’re all blessed to have known Dave, he was a Giant of a man.

[Mark R]

I never met Dave - but just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed reading about his exploits. Thank you, all.

[topfox]

I first met Dave and two other reprobates in Leicester in 1986, where we were all starting our Surveying Degree course. Little did I know at that time what turmoil he would bring!

After driving up from London each week (he once fell asleep driving and overtook the car in front and then rammed it), we would miss the first lesson cos he was late, miss the second lesson having breakfast, and then sleep through the lessons until lunch! But he was never without a laugh or a smile on his face, never once let his disability (what disablity you might well ask?!) stop him or even slow him down.

By the end of the course (which I had dragged him through successfully even though his drawings represented a drunken spider wandering across the paper!), we had become firm friends. After flunking one year he stopped over with my old mum and dad for a few nights whilst I coached him or should I say stopped him from disapearing down the pub during the day!

It's been quite a while since we met, although of course we were always planning to sink a few pints again 'next year'. When I heard of his death yesterday the word gutted does not begin to describe how I feel.

He once called me after his manky sky blues had knocked my team out of the cup....I was met with the sound of him playing 'Blue Moon' on the sax...top man.

My thoughts go to his family, who he obviously loved dearly, and his many friends who have written here of his character and personality. A mountain of a man for sure.

Paul & Judith Hughes

[Putty]

Oh, Radar; I meant to mention Dave trying to pull the (not so)fake beard off the wizened old-timer in the scariest bar in West Virginia; only Higson could have gotten away with it

[Croft]

Remember when we were kids Dave, Graham's dad repeatedly told us that "These Young Tigers Will Take On The World!"

Well it looks to me like (at least) you've done a pretty good job of it.

Its true to say that if we'd expended all our energy on paddling rather than extreme socialising, maybe MCC's list of honours would have been a bit longer - but who cares. Paddling with the lads on the Karnali last year, over 35 years after we first paddled together, made me realise 2 things: we chose the right sport, but much more importantly, the right friends.

[hogboy]

Having been a teenager hanging around slaloms and Mike Jones weekends in the late 70s and early 80s, I can only describe Dave Higson as a bad influence…in the best possible way.

Reading all of the tributes has the very strange effect of making me feel very old and very young all at the same time.

I’m not sure if it was him of someone else that introduced me to the Crème Egg eating competitions at Appletreewick. It wasn’t the last pub I was thrown out of …

RIP

Conrad , (Luigi)

[Strad]

I will never forget Dave kipping in the bike sheds in Llangollen at one of the Dee tours many moons ago, He was surrounded by snow, but still seemed happy as larry in the morning and ready for the get go, while we were trying to thaw out wetsuits that were like cardboard over a camping stove, he sat there smiling and moaning about a headache at the same time.

I didn't know him well, but he was indeed a special character, sad to see him go.

[Dave Manby]

Driving to Linton slslom once I was pulled by the Old Bill I thought; I was always being pulled by the old BIll in those days our vehicles usually were on the only-just-legal side of the law. Anyway I was driving along looking at the map when this disembodied voice came through the air. "Mr. Manby please pull over you are speeding!" The shock was such that I did not immediately do the maths - how did the car behind know my name and I was not speeding - so I pulled over to see Hig's face learing out of the window and the Slalom tanoy system strapped to the roof of the car.

I think that was the weekend of the wedding of two floppy toy donkeys. When Suzie Seagul was accused of losing one she walked into York bought another to make up for her misdemeanor and then the original one was found - hence the wedding. There is a lot of "I think that was the ...." when recounting Higson Stories - you never seemed to have a meeting with him without something happening.

BTW Croft either the "Whore from Honaloulu" singing was in Aberfelde on a New Year's trip or he was thrown out on more that one occasion for singing it!

[Seedy Paddler]

I will always remember Higson, from my Uni days as a Scot travelling down to BUSF events, two names always stand out as leaders in the pre-, event and post event parties Beecroft and Higson.

Dave RIP, your life brought a smile to many a face and the memories will linger to light up our future.

Craig Douglas

The hill at Tully should forever be remembered as "Higsons' Alamo"

[Croft]

BTW Croft either the "Whore from Honolulu" singing was in Aberfeldy on a New Year's trip or he was thrown out on more that one occasion for singing it!

So thats at least twice! (Hexham and Aberfeldy) - any other takers for this one??

----------------------
PS: Higson's 'Whore from Honolulu' was actually a cover version of the Jez Taylor original. Was once priviledged to see both these reprobates perform it together as a duet but god knows where/when that was - however, Frank Sinatra and Robbie Williams could not have done a better job.
PPS: The Hexham eviction was also aggravated by Cube sitting on and squashing the star attraction's guitar case.

[Croft]

Dave Higson...Where do you start? No words could do justice to the size of this mans personality and presence

A tower of a man.

Dave always had names for himself his cars or anything.
Rat face, bxxxxxd bird, Doris, Frank, Baby face, Sxxx Path, Stanley stick.
To name a few

So many stories so many memories.

The mad axe man.
After a few visits to Sort in Spain to the paddling festival Dave and I decided we would again make the trip, Just Dave and I, two boats a hire car and tent.
After another day of paddling and partying at 3am outside the famous disco rock dur Dave decided the walk home was to much in his state indulgence so precedes to use again the broken calliper routine and persuades the local police to give him and I a lift back to the campsite Dave’s usual quote came out as we arrived at the tents “time for a brew before bed “ so while watching the sun start to rise and recounting the days events with our new found canoeing friends out of the corner of his eye Dave sees a Spanish guy leaping toward us with an axe in hand ! We thought we were being quiet but clearly we were not ,so what to do! Dave tackles him to the ground and I manage to remove the axe and restrain him in an arm lock,
The police arrive with the campsite manager.
Dave is the peace maker.
“no don’t take him to jail just ask him to stay away from us while we are on site”.
The next day I asked Dave what was he thinking of, tackling a crazed Spanish man with an axe and Dave with no weapon of defence and not wearing his calliper.
Dave’s answer.
“I thought he was going to kick over me brew”

Dave was the kind of guy you would want by your side in any situation life can throw at you.

I know the Higham clan will miss him more as time progresses as we all will my thoughts are with you all.

The Cube,
Thanks Dave yet another of your names (aka Howard Storey)

[declanmcgoff]

I have to say I was gutted when I heard the news about Dave. Dave Higson was a good friend of mine. Dave and Laura and Lilly and Maeve have been friends of ours for 14 years. My wife Gail met Laura at 'Parentcraft' and they struck up a good friendship. As time went by Dave and I became good friends, He was passionate about his canooing and all his great pals on the circuit. Dave and I both work in construction and he has had a big impact on the Northwest Construction industry, he made friends in all walks of life and will be sadly missed. I last met up with Dave for a drink on 19th December and he was in great form and holding court as is usual. Dave, if you are reading this I am still waiting for you to set up the 'trip to the dogs' you promised!
Dave was a great man and our thoughts are with Laura and the Girls at this difficult time.
All the best to a great friend and a real family man.

Declan, Gail and family

[laurence wilbraham]

Hools, it was a firework party at Ashby and we had been drinking for hours before you arrived. You also burnt down the guttering on my shed!

The policeman didn't actually see Hig when he was letting down his tyre, he went straight past him because he saw Lamb Chop letting down his rear tyre on the other side of the car!

Anyone remember Dave sitting on the top of the telephone kiosk in Keswick's main square on New Years Eve leading the singing? (not the whore from Honolulu) What was that other sone .... something with alternate words to magic moments!

Flo

[Jo-K]

My love and condolances to Laura, Maeve & Lily
So many memories..............
Canoe polo
Sprinting with the ball towards an open goal & sure to score only to hear the dreaded noise (worse than the Jaws music) a rapid "squeak squeak"......BF's noisy schlegels at full tilt - followed by his trade mark under-arm-pit hoist into air (boat included) 180 degree in mid air before hitting the water already fully capsized before entry
BF-"There's three balls in here" tackle
His Lucky pinks (not so lucky filled with strawberry yoghurt!)
Him trying to throw the polizia of the scent in Gorizia by throwing his crutches into the German camp before paddling off into the distance "What gellati"
The stories and memories go on
What a man !He'll be sorely missed by all

[Julia Clark]

I was lucky enough to share a house with Dave in liverpool 2o odd years ago. Where does the time go? First of all we lived in Lidderdale Road and then Ashfield, the house that Dave bought and we moved into en masse. It was a family. Sometimes Dave was Dad but mostly he was the naughtiest boy in the house. I had a long chat with John Paul last night and I have dug out a load of photos of those years which I'll post when I can get them scanned.

Dave is repsonsible for my breakfast habits, he used to make me porridge in the winter to keep me warm and I eventually got a taste for it. He also introduced me to the concept of curry for breakfast on sundays, driving us all the way to manchester for a bowl of something hot and disgusting. It did seem to work for a hangover.

I have never known anyone with such a huge appetite for life and such winning ways with people. No one else would have got away away with the things Dave got up to, even though he mostly blamed his familiars, "naughty Ted, and "bastard Bird". Naughty Ted was hung for his crimes whilst Bastard Bird got kid napped and eventually returned after ransom notes were received.

We had so many parties and mad evenings in that house, mostly ones that started with us just going to the local for "the last pint" and ending with us falling out of the casa at closing time, several hours and pints later, Dave having made several new friends throughout the evening.

Dave loved singing and although the whore from Honolulu was popular it never quite surpassed My Way as his party piece. Dave lived more life than most people would live in 20 lifetimes and it was a priviledge to spend so much time with him.

What a lovely guy

Jules

[Croft]

Dave was a great and powerful paddler but he was never one for the unnecessary 'hero line'.

As a grand finale to an early-80s Alpine tour with the naughty boys (a trip renown for its record breaking naughtiness) the lads decided to run the notorious the Finstermunster gorge on the Austria-Switzerland border. The were some wicked wind-ups going on "Dont go down the the Finstermunster gorge" (spoken slowly and in a very deep voice). I was so busy winding everybody up that me and Cube(s) scared ourselves shitless, wimped out and watched the action from way above by the road (well somebody needed to do the shuttle).

One by one the UK's finest (plus an unwanted guest from the USA) took the chute and dissappeared from view behind the horrible syphoning house rock river left, we held our breath until each one reappeared and got their well merited trashing in the stopper below.

Last one down Higson lined up but then darted far right right right and hopped around the back of a huge bolder. He had sussed a micro-chute far right and didn't even get his face wet. Now thats class.

[CurlyBarker]

I first met Dave at Meridian Canoe Club, we had a polo team that was aspiring and searching new talent and as an odd bunch already Dave seemed to fit the bill. He could out paddle us all, in and out of the pool, but his understanding of the rules would always be, at best, patchy. (I think he may have had a ‘selective learning’ gene). We did win the National league in 90/91 season.

There are a lot of very hard things to deal with on this thread…
but the one I have to get out of the way is picking just one story to type and post…
most of my stories are boring, most of the one’s about BF, Dave, Dad, Biff, the raspberry, are not.
(For the record, I never accepted “Baby Face” as the reason for BF, and will always prefer “Bad Foot”.)
The trip of a lifetime for me was in 1989 to an international canoe polo competition in Sydney, Australia, we were playing in Div 2 at home at the time and so it seemed a little ambitious, but there you go.

Driving along in our “rent-a-wreck” hire car (of course), I looked round to see that one of the young ladies in the back was wearing a dress but no knickers… I’m not sure how I brought the news to rest of the occupants of the car, but the deadpan from Dave in the back will stay with me forever –

“You’ve got to have something to keep the flies off your beer!”


I’ve told myself that story thousands of times over the years and it has always made me laugh… I’m not ashamed to admit that today it made me cry.

I’ve got my share of stories involving policemen from several countries too, and sing songs and the sax, and the ‘lucky pinks’, and Trini Lopez, and the Dutch version of ‘Hearts of Gold’ and always travelling with crutches taped to paddles so the airline would look after them - the paddles of course!

I think a look through the old photo albums this evening might be in order… I’ll post a pic or two.
Thanks Dave
curly

[jongat]

Ah yes, and then there was the Butlins break in...

What else can you do when a surf trip to the South West reveals a flat calm sea. I'm sure Cube was there too - and Purdy (?) but the main event was, as ever, Hig.

In search of evening entertainment we tried the main gate at Butlins but were turned away, officially as not being residents but we may have a had a few sherbets and been a bit loud by then as well. Undeterred we scouted the perimeter and sussed out a route a few hundred yards along the rail line, over a fence or two and into the park. Dave led the way towards the sound of music and set up court at the back of the venue. The performers on stage were truly awful and much loud sniggering emanated from Hig. He was itching to get up there and show them how it should really be done. More scoops and some time later there he was strutting his stuff on the dance floor and chatting up a miniskirted, stiletto-heeled lovely. He was however nearly toppling over as he shouted each line as she was a dwarf and only 3 feet high.

Many, many hours later we exited via the fence and staggered back down the rail line. Half way along there was the sound of an approaching train and we shouted a warning to Hig behind us - no reply. The train passed, we walked back and there he was - sleeping like a baby about three feet from the rails....

[Fishlicker]

I am totally lost for words!!!!

My thoughts go out to Dave's family and friends, he was a legend both on the River and on the Polo pitch!

I had the absolute pleasure of a number of years playing for Manchester initially coming through the ranks in the lower teams while at Uni and eventually with Dave both in the A team and later on in the B team before I moved to London.

He got so passionate and into it once he was on the water. I used to love the arguments if he felt hard done to on the pitch, as soon as you heard that cry of "REFEREE......." followed by some harsh words along the lines of "you haven't got a clue" you knew we would be finishing the rest of the game a man down, but it was worth it (and that was just on Thursday night training!).

I was only talking about Dave's river expeditions last week with some other kayaking friends and am sure he will be mentioned many more times in the future!

All my thoughts

Steve Pearce

[Mrs Animal]

I met Dave over 20 years ago in Liverpool. He opened the door in Ashfield to me and Una and introduced himself as “Dave, the fascist landlord”. Una did not think too hard about the room. Dave had created a home and a family. And so began a long and lasting friendship. He has remained a kind and loving friend with a lust for life bigger than some of the rivers he has conquered. When times were tough for me Dave’s gentle and wise words helped get me through including his grand “gold fish bowl” pep talk which I have never forgotten.

I remember…
Ashfield Christmas dinner parties with all current and previous tenants (all now Dave’s friends) invited
Clock tower to clock tower pub crawls - 13 pubs in all and then back to Dave’s for some more!!
“Front line” piss ups in Coldharbour lane
The Serpent’s tail and Dave’s enormous hands close by to pull me out of trouble
Crawling to bed, literally, after my first ever tequila slammer night in Herne Hill
Lock-ins in at the White Hart
“Ratface” with his paws wrapped around Dave’s shoulder as we drove to polo sessions
Dave’s true friendship rescuing me from a horrible Brixton flat and real fascist landlady and putting me up in his bedroom.
Waddling in asking “are we going for a few beers - Mrs Animal” - but never a few always a skin full!!
And laughter, fun, games, genuine friendship and more laughter, love and fun.
In true Higson style the last time we met up he sent me home faceless after a session down the George in Whitechapel. He could always find the best pubs.
Long drives and good chats driving to Liverpool from London. The worst in the middle of winter when Dave “forgot” to tell me that the heater was broken in yet another Cortina.
Bandit runs on a Wednesday afternoon on the Dee

“The Germans bombed our chippy”

And the story when his car was stolen in Whitechapel. A week before his insurance was due to pay out Dave gets a call from the police saying the car has been found. Dave needing a car to get around had of course bought another car on the promise of the insurance pay out. Dave goes to investigate, finds his old car and builds a plan. He calls the police and insurance company saying he found the car but minus the engine. He gets his insurance money and then has the audacity to buy the original car minus the engine salvage for £50!!! He knew a man who had an engine!!

To Laura, Maeve and Lily sincere condolences. I hope you find some solace in the many tributes to a wonderful man that you will hear and read.

Our lives only get better as we do and as Dave got better and better at life and love, the life he lived and the love he generated filled to over flowing. It was full of joy, cheek, naughtiness, fun and laughter. What Dave was and what he became is LEGEND. I still can’t believe this. It was a privilege to have known him.

Mrs Animal (aka Jackie Woods)