The Passing Away of Pater....

Just after 1am on the morning of January 30th 2023 I heard a bell ring and then a little later two knocks on my door at the council flat in Chalvey, Slough. Two policemen had come to inform me that my pater had died in his council flat and forced entry had been necessary to recover the body. I was not really surprised by all this as it was expected as he would die "soon" as he was 91, and moreover on the last occasion when I saw him in December last his actions seemed a bit odd . He seemed to be suffering from a degree of dementia and was "unable" to come out of his flat to have dinner with myself in Turham Green. Instead he asked me simply to buy 4 bottles (or rather tins) of Guinness for him. I undertook this strange request as a dutiful son, and later returned to Slough.

His previous abode was a large private house known as Croft House in East Street, Selsey where he lived with my step mother a Russian lady called Irina. It had a large abundance of interesting antiques, and these were sold on...or possibly even stolen in certain cases right under his nose but he was too frail to do much about it ! He then lived at her somewhat small council flat (in stark contrast to mine at Slough which is far bigger!)

He had asked me to help him find a flat in the Windsor area. I did have contact with a few estate agents. His asking price was around £350, 000 which would be paid in cash to the right seller. However, nothing came of this, and then he changed his mind and was keen instead on going to live in Oswestry where he he had some happy memories. Again, nothing came of that either.

Anyway, when he passed on I contacted Ealing council to gain legal entry into his flat in Turnham Green. The councillor who gave me the key to enter it claimed that there was a strong "stench" inside and she "reassured" me that this was not the so-called "smell of death!" However, I had a covid type mask just in case but the odour was very pungent, and as I went inside I had to open all the windows. It smelt like strong garlic/moth balls, and had a strange "sweetness" to it but for some reason or not I was able to tolerate it. Furthermore, it stuck to my clothes to some extent! *

Inside the flat was a complete and utter mess, and I understood then why he did not want me to enter the place when he was alive. I suspect the reason for this was due to the death of his wife Irina because otherwise she would have kept the place shipshape and in good nick. But ofcourse she was no longer around.

I found all sorts of things in the flat. This included piles of clothing, a wallet, scarves, bedding, a collection of stamps celebrating the space age, a box containing an old telescope (possibly Victorian or earlier) books, "odd" paintings, letters, prints, ornaments, a rosary and religious icon (belonging to Irina. A photo of it below) and the like strewn about. Also, I came across some old black and white photos of pater as a child in the 1930s and 40s. I took these home along with other items.

* Google listings for the Smell of Death