One of This Planet’s Complete Gentlemen
As well as being one of this planet’s complete gentlemen — dearest Denzil was, and I quote from a famous song, “delightful, delicious and d’lovely” but also “devilishly humurous”. For me however the attribute that always loomed largest and shone the most was the fact that the smallest of things and gestures meant the most to him. And I’ll give just a couple of examples which, for me, epitomised this unique quality.
In 1968 whilst I was working at Channel 9 Perth on the Children’s Show and as the “weather girl” I was selected to chaperone the winner of the “Miss Crowning Glory” quest to London. Denzil didn’t just hand the ticket over and say “bon voyage” but he took the time to write down for me, as he entitled it a “GUIDE FOR A DESERTED WEATHER NYMPH IN LONDON”. I have kept this “guide” to this day just as he wrote it and it has always been one of my “treasures”.
He wrote little pithy vignettes about Selfridges, Marks and Spencers, etc. And part of the section he wrote about Harrods is as follows: “morning coats and striped pants are worn by the men — they carry fantastic stock of up to the minute fashion — the only catch is you pay a little extra for the privilege of being called “modom!”. He wrote about the “tourist musts” and “off beat excursions” — one being of course the Covent Garden Markets where he said: “the vegetable vendors are too pre-occupied with the cabbages and caulies to even cast an eye over a lone peach!”
Another example of how little things meant a lot to him was the fact that, about 35 years after I’d given him a most garish tie I’d bought at Carnaby Street as a present from this London trip, he wore it whilst visiting me in Perth! And that delighted me and touched me beyond measure.
I could go on but I won’t except just to say that Denzil always held the most special of places in my heart and he always will.
Love you Denzil — from your “Lady Veronica”.
And for you Dot — you are the best and most beautiful partner Denzil could have had. He was the most fortunate of men to have had you by his side … and he knew it.