'Our Legacy' - a tribute to Geoff by one of his daughters
Title
'Our Legacy' - a tribute to Geoff by one of his daughters
Description
A heartfelt poem on the legacy left by Geoff Shattock by his younger daughter following his death in 2002.
Creator
Date
2002
Spatial Coverage
Coverage
Language
Format
One printed sheet
Conforms To
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
MShattockGF1317240-180311-030001, MShattockGF1317240-180311-030002
Transcription
Our Legacy
Your legacy is there when we’re together
In stories still embroidered by your threads,
In endless reminiscence, idle chatter,
Jill’s laughter and the tilt of Sarah’s head.
I see you both when young, then getting older.
Sar’s eyes are yours but coloured with mum’s hue.
Jill shared your pains in ways too hard to ponder,
Just held on fast to that she knew was true
(with Jackson eyes reflecting your light blue).
Mum’s gentleness is in Sar’s hands that sooth us,
The sing-song of her voice, her quiet smile,
Acceptance of the harsh truths life can deal us
Whilst your enthusiasm takes us through.
Our love of music, joy to play together,
To sing part-songs, to phrase, to catch the tunes,
Her legacy to us is in our voices
Her love of rhythms: classics, jazz and blues.
Your long walks on the beaches finding treasure,
Your bargains in the junk shops in the town,
To tell the tale to someone was what mattered:
The amber necklace costing half a crown.
We learned to love the sunshine on our shoulders,
You treasured health, took care of your young looks.
Our trips to Taunton library at the weekends
Opened up a magic realm of books.
Your closeness both to Bill and Reg, your brothers,
In similar way, her special bond with Marj,
We echo in our phone bills and our natter
And send each other duplicated cards.
You charted childhood, saved the things that matter,
Took slides, the tape of Christmas ‘61
So we can live again the full excitement
Of opening my tea service with mum.
And now you’re gone I read the hidden sorrows,
The letters tell of friends you lost in war.
I’m humbled as I see the truth unfolding
And realise the sadness that you saw.
You teach us still if only we will listen
Just what’s important: memories or things,
Remind us that it’s laughing, loving, sharing
These simple acts that satisfaction brings.
And looking in the mirror every morning
I see you both, how can I feel sad?
I hear your voices calling out together
Well you girls you didn’t do too bad.
[page break]
Written by Jane Shattock younger daughter of Mr Geoffrey Francis Shattock following his death in 2002.
Your legacy is there when we’re together
In stories still embroidered by your threads,
In endless reminiscence, idle chatter,
Jill’s laughter and the tilt of Sarah’s head.
I see you both when young, then getting older.
Sar’s eyes are yours but coloured with mum’s hue.
Jill shared your pains in ways too hard to ponder,
Just held on fast to that she knew was true
(with Jackson eyes reflecting your light blue).
Mum’s gentleness is in Sar’s hands that sooth us,
The sing-song of her voice, her quiet smile,
Acceptance of the harsh truths life can deal us
Whilst your enthusiasm takes us through.
Our love of music, joy to play together,
To sing part-songs, to phrase, to catch the tunes,
Her legacy to us is in our voices
Her love of rhythms: classics, jazz and blues.
Your long walks on the beaches finding treasure,
Your bargains in the junk shops in the town,
To tell the tale to someone was what mattered:
The amber necklace costing half a crown.
We learned to love the sunshine on our shoulders,
You treasured health, took care of your young looks.
Our trips to Taunton library at the weekends
Opened up a magic realm of books.
Your closeness both to Bill and Reg, your brothers,
In similar way, her special bond with Marj,
We echo in our phone bills and our natter
And send each other duplicated cards.
You charted childhood, saved the things that matter,
Took slides, the tape of Christmas ‘61
So we can live again the full excitement
Of opening my tea service with mum.
And now you’re gone I read the hidden sorrows,
The letters tell of friends you lost in war.
I’m humbled as I see the truth unfolding
And realise the sadness that you saw.
You teach us still if only we will listen
Just what’s important: memories or things,
Remind us that it’s laughing, loving, sharing
These simple acts that satisfaction brings.
And looking in the mirror every morning
I see you both, how can I feel sad?
I hear your voices calling out together
Well you girls you didn’t do too bad.
[page break]
Written by Jane Shattock younger daughter of Mr Geoffrey Francis Shattock following his death in 2002.
Collection
Citation
Jane Shattock, “'Our Legacy' - a tribute to Geoff by one of his daughters,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed July 15, 2026, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/41006.