Frank Holland

Frank was a very private man, who never talked much about himself and I
confess that over the last three weeks since his death I have found it intriguing
as I have talked to a number of you to piece together his history.

He was born in South Lambeth in 1923 where he was brought up by his mother,
as his father went to Australia soon after he was born. He soon became a
member of All Saints, South Lambeth where he was in the Sunday School class
taught by Charlie Hart who was eight years his senior. He was in the Boys'
Brigade and played a very active part in the life of All Saints.

In his youth he was a very lively individual who was often seen swinging from
trees or getting up to similar escapades. On one occasion he appeared in a local
production wearing a tutu, which for those of us who have never seen Frank in
anything other than a suit makes the mind boggle! He and Charlie and his
friends had a lot of fun together.

At the age of 15 Frank left school and went to work for CE Heath, a leading
Lloyds Insurance market broker and underwriter. He worked in the motor
insurance business and he stayed there for fifty years until he retired at the age
of 65. For a time Frank was also a name at Lloyds - but sadly, as for many
others, this brought financial loss. But that was later.

When war broke out Frank was sixteen and before it ended Frank was called up
and saw military service in Austria, where he engaged in a three way
correspondence with two other young men from the parish, Charlie Hart who
was in Yorkshire and the son of the vicar of All Saints who was further afield.

The war brought serious problems for Frank's mother and for All Saints, South
Lambeth. His mother owned two houses in South Lambeth which were divided
into six flats. She and Frank lived in one of them and the rent from the other
five provided much of her income. However these houses were destroyed by
enemy bombing in the war, as was All Saints. It was soon afterwards that, using
the war damage money Frank's mother brought their house in Ansell Road in
Tooting.

However Frank retained his Church links with South Lambeth for a further
twenty five years, during which time All Saints worshipped first in their Church
Hall and then merged with St.Barnabus. Over the years Frank was organist,
choirmaster, Treasurer and for many years Churchwarden.

In these roles he was utterly reliable, a man of extraordinary dependability and
routine. In the event of a transport strike which might stop him getting from
Tooting to South Lambeth, he would borrow Charlie's bike to make sure he
could get there.

Music played a massive role in Frank's life, a passion he inherited from his
mother who taught music at Trinity College. He was first class organist,
pianist and bass singer.

He joined the London Philharmonic choir in 1953 and remained a member for
47 years. He was hugely reliable and I am told missed only 6 concerts in 47
years. Frank was also a founder member of City Singers, a choir which in
about 1966 grew out of an RSCM singers workshop. He remained a member
of that choir until he died.

Frank was a stickler for doing things properly - he set himself high standards
and expected high standards of others, including the clergy ! He was not
backward in letting his views be known if he thought that the quality of worship
was sloppy or the sermons were poor.

He was a man of strong views and sadly it was a disagreement with a new
incumbent which in 1980 led to the end of his long service to All Saints and
St.Barnabus, South Lambeth.

But South Lambeth's loss was our gain and for 23 years he has been a faithful
member of our congregation here at Holy Trinity. He was always in and out of
the Church and in recent years took very seriously the security of our building
which is open all day, by keeping a regular eye on it. He was someone who was
always willing to help.

He played a significant part in the musical life of the parish and as recently as on
March 8th this year, he played the Entertainer by Scott Joplin at the farewell do
for that lady vicar he mentioned to a number of you from time to time!

Holidays played an important part in Frank's life. He enjoyed his trips abroad
with the London Philharmonic Choir and in recent years he enjoyd his
Methodist Guild holidays in Wales and the West country. The places he has
been to since 1989 are listed in the back of his diary. Each year he would go off
for two weeks to these holidays which are for both families and for single people.
He would carefully select the sheet music he would use to entertain the others -
he was very gregarious and friendly - he would talk to anyone - he was a man for
all people.

Frank's reliability is legendary - he was remarkably consistent. I am told that
he never missed a days work in his 50 years with C D Heath. He did the Daily
Telegraph cross word every day. He was a man of extraordinary routine who
was in many ways a wise counsellor - a man of great integrity who was utterly
reliable. But his great passion was music.