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Martin
Richard Ludwig HAMMOND (born 6th March
1958 in Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent; Died 16th March 2007 in Erskine, Renfrewshire, Scotland)
Martin was born to Kathleen and Albert, on the 6 March 1958, in Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, where a few months later in June he was baptised in the Ebenezer Methodist church.
He has two older sibblings, Ruth & Stuart, and four foster sibblings, the TAULBUTs; Clive, Bill, Carol and Norah with one Nigerian sister IboRonke Akwe. For a couple of years Ronke’s sisters, Simi and Biola lived with the family.
In 1959 when Dad, Albert’s job relocated, the family moved to Greenock, Scotland. As he grew up Martin attended the Methodist Church in Ardgowan Street, Greenock and also the Sunday School Mission in Cardwell Bay, Gourock.
Martin always found every muddy puddle to fall into and kicked any football that came into view, including one outside Billy Smart’s Circus that proved to be a ball of elephant dung. No-one wanted to sit beside him that day!
He attended Ardgowan Primary School, Greenock from 1963 - 1970, then went on to Gourock High School from 1970-74 where he got 6 qualifications, gaining a further 2 at James Watt College in 1975. From 1975-78 he attended Springburn Technical College, where he gained City & Guild qualifications in Industrial and Electrical Engineering Skills.
He developed a liking for ‘4 Crown’ (Greenock’s equivalent to Buckfast). On one occasion, Stuart had to travel 3 miles to bring him replacement shoes, as following a party he reached for the nearest thing and vomited in the platform shoes he had been wearing.
A lifelong fan of Alice Cooper, one of the tasks, left to his executors has been to find a suitable fanatic to inherit his collection. He lived in constant hope of new converts.
He began his working career in the Coulport and Faslane Ministry of Defence Bases, where he was employed initially as an electrical fitter and later became a trainer of apprentices, a job which he really enjoyed and excelled at.
In the 80s he became a Sunday School Teacher in the Mid Kirk Church Greenock and married there on 21 April 1979 Joyce DONALD. They had three children: Richard born 22 March 1980, Gareth born 11 December 1982, Laura born 23 November 1984. He has three grandchildren: Richard & wife Joanne’s children Adam born 2002 and Tyler born 2005 and Laura & partner Mark’s child Hannah born 16 March 2007.
Martin moved to Erskine in 1985 where he lived for the rest of his life. In 1986 he was twice knocked off his Kawasaki motorbike in a period of months and this brought on the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. Martin and Joyce separated in the late 1980s and he moved into an adapted bungalow in Park Winding.
He ended his working career in Kentigern House in the mid 1990s when he medically retired. Before he left he took his employers to task over a memo, which suggested that in the event of fire, wheelchair users should be placed in ‘fire safe’ cupboards. This campaign made the television show ‘Have I Got News For You’; he never gave up campaigning for a better deal for those less able.
His Christian interest developed with involvement with the Religious, Society of Friends (Quakers) who latterly came to his home to share meetings for worship and prayer.
Although increasingly debilitated he never lost his sense of humour and his shining wit shone through. He once told his Mum Kathleen, that to pass sleepless nights, he would solve quadratic equations in his head. He was making plans to continue his OU studies.
Martin died at 10pm on Friday 16th March though the certificating doctor did not arrive till 2.10am to pronounce death on the 17th March 2007.
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