3:20pm Wednesday 6th February 2008
A great-grandfather known as Slasher who was the eldest of seven children born and bred in Kingston has died in Devon aged 85 after a long battle with cancer.
Cecil Frederick Tadd, also known as Tommy, was born on September 28, 1922, in Waters Road, Kingston, and attended St Luke's School in Acre Lane.
While Cecil passed his 11-plus exam and gained a place at Tiffin Boys' School, he was sent to work aged 14 to help provide for his family.
Cecil worked as a coalman in his younger days and later worked as a head baggage loader at British Airways for 15 years, before moving to north Devon five years ago.
Cecil's son Barry Tadd, from New Malden, said the family never got to the bottom of his father's mysterious nickname.
"There was a group of lads my father used to hand around with," he said. "There was also a Diffle, Jammy, Fanny and Farter and we got him drunk many a time but he wouldn't tell us where the names came from."
Cecil's brother Charles Kent is still a trader in Kingston's Apple Market and Barry said his father used to play darts at the British Legion in Chessington and enjoyed watching Kingstonian play.
"He will be sadly missed, as will all the stories he used to come up with," he said.
Cecil died on February 2 in Devon and the funeral will be held on February 8, at Barnstaple crematorium.
He leaves a wife Edna, three children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mr Tadd's family have asked that any donations go to the North Devon Hospice instead of flowers.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/trade_directory/