At Xmas he would get Ian Nicholas to organise a wine and cheese evening for engineers, and their significant others! I think it was his attempt to make us less hairy and more couth. Ian was always in charge, as he was a male version of Hyacinth Bucket, knew everything about everything, and he really fancied himself on the subjects of wine and cheese.

The location was always the Old Courthouse at Worsley, a barn of a place but historical and unlikely to be damaged any further by the boys. However, more used to pints of bitter, the wine was not always appreciated by the engineers, some of it was plonk, even though would be 'oenophile' Ian, decreed that it was our lack of sophistication, not the wine.

It became a tradition, for those ' in the know', to arrive early, rush round and find ' the good stuff', these bottles were then hidden, and the only served to the inner circle. One year, Manchester Branch was combined with Liverpool Branch, under your Dad. At the Xmas do, the Liverpool boys didn't understand local rules, but soon discovered the hidden cache of good wine, and its Manchester guards.

Fired with too much wine, the drinking and fight retired to the car park, for a punch up. The event supposedly to bring the two groups together, had the reverse effect. It was generally agreed that it was the best wine and cheese event Peter King had put on, especially the spontaneous exercise.

Everyone remembers that along with working long hours, your father knew how to have good time and it was appreciated.