Pictures

Lawrence (Laurie) Passmore (right) was a Master Saddler who first worked for Mr Gubb (left), who had a shop in Boutport Street where Howards Jewellers used to be and now a branch of Catherine Bishop, and later for Yendons also in Boutport Street. Laurie was indentured to Mr Gubb. "He could have a piece of leather on his workbench and he could make everything to do with a horse - saddle, bridle, girths everything - and it was just incredible and you could see his stitching and every stitch would be by hand and every stitch would be the same size and when I was a little girl he always made all my sandals. My mum never had to buy sandals for me," explained his daughter Jean Seaber (neé Passmore).
Laurie was also a St Mary's Church bellringer for 43 years, and was both Secretary and Acting Captain during that time. He died in 1980 and is commemorated by a plaque on the wall of the tower.
Thanks to Jean Seaber, the daughter of Laurie and Kathleen (neé Thorne) Passmore who was born in 6 Priory Gardens, for bringing in this and other photographs and stories of herself and her father.