Yvonne's Page

A memoriam to Frank V. Pocklington

"Born in Nottingham, 1915, Frank worked in the Insurance business before enlisting for World War II in the RAF Bomber Command, firstly 15 squadron and latterly 115 squadron. He was a keen beekeeper and when work transferred him to Leicester became an active member of the LL & R Beekeepeers Association. In 1966 he joined his late wife Betty in setting up Duplitype (Offset) Ltd, a well known printing company in York Road. Always a keen historian Frank traced his ancestors back to 1691 where he found Alderman John Pocklington Mayor of Leicester 1778. Alderman John Pocklington's father Thomas was Rector of Rotherby and Vicar of St. Mary de Castro. Both ancestors were active members of the town's affairs. Pocklington's Walk being a modern day legacy of that period, was previously Alderman John Pocklington's garden. These connections led Frank to becoming a Freeman of the City in 1981. Again as ever he became an active member in freemen's affairs, he was made Chairman of the Board of Deputies and Master of the Gild. With Frank taking an active interest in the City, the Leicester Chamber of Commerce invited Frank to join the Chamber's City Centre Committee. Over the years Frank had many interests which included being the last Chairman of the Leicestershire Local History Society, Member of the Royal Air Force Association, A Freeman of England and Wales, The Victorian Society, The British Australian Society, a keen supporter of the Boys & Girls Holiday Centre at Mablethorpe, and Main Line Steam Trust. A life long interest in railways led to Frank purchasing a coach, which still runs on the Great Central Railway to this present day. Being such an active member of the City and County of Leicestershire he will be sadly missed."