After years of persuading from his children, Ron Porter has finally put his life into words.
The 90-year-old spent three-and-half years penning ‘Oh! Mr Porter!’, an autobiographical account of his varied and interesting life.
It covers several decades of leading a dance band, climbing Ayers Rock (Uluru), Australia, scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef where he was grabbed by a giant clam, riding an ostrich in Africa, walking the Great Wall of China and skydiving in Kent – all at the age of 70.
Mr Porter, of Furham Field, Hatch End, said: “I kept putting it off because I thought it would be a hell of a job to write everything down – I have done so many things. However, I eventually did it and I am very pleased with it. So many people have been pleased with it too, some have read it twice.”
The book is as much a piece of social history as it is a memoir, written with humour and genuine sincerity.
Mr Porter was born in Kent, then moved to Catford, south east London, when he was about 11 years old.
“I was involved in the gang culture when I lived in Catford, south east London,” he said. “I was young and naive and I met some friends who probably weren’t that great for me. But in that area of London that’s what a lot of young boys did – we carried knives, ropes and all sorts of weapons for protection.”
The pensioner worked as a draftsman before he was called up during the Second World War to serve in the Royal Engineers regiment.
He met Harrow girl, Merle, and they were married in the Church of All Saints, in the Parish of Harrow Weald where he still lives, in June 1944 – just a few days before he left for the invasion beaches of Normandy. They moved to Harrow borough and Mr Porter has lived in the same house in Hatch End since 1961.
They travelled the world together, before she died six years ago.
He said: “She was such a wonderful person. In her last years of her life she had a lot of pain, but she kept going with me on all my travels. She was such a bright and wonderful woman and we reached our diamond wedding anniversary, which was lovely.”
He said that one of his biggest thrills was travelling by Concorde.
He said: “It was something so great, the fact of being that high the trust you got was severe and I have always been interested in mechanics, so that was one of my biggest thrills. The other one was white water rafting in South Africa, that was just brilliant, but very scary.”
The couple had three sons but lost their only daughter before she turned one years old. He now has seven grandchildren aged between four months and 28 years old, who live all over the world.
Mr Porter recently celebrated his 90th birthday at Grimsdyke Golf Club with his new partner and his family.
He said: “I have a wonderful family. My musical family members performed at my birthday and I played and sang a moving tribute to my wife of over 60 years.”
The outfits on the book cover are themes from one of his favourite character’s ‘Oh Mr Porter’ played by film star, Will Hay.
Mr Porter’s granddaughter, Amanda Porter, has posted a recording of her grandfather singing The Laughing Policeman on You Tube, which has had more than 300 hits on YouTube. You can see it online at:
Ron Porter's book is published by Upfront Publishing and available from bookshops or directly from the publisher at www.fast-print.net/bookshop/818/oh-mr-porter .
