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Born 15th December 1932 in Woolwich
Died 8th December 2024 in Edinburgh
Reply to the Toast “New Members” 1983
Proposer of the Toast “Chairman & Croupiers” 1987
Proposer of the Toast “The Artistes” 1990
Proposer of the Toast “Our Hosts” or “The Landlord – Landlady” 2000, 2006
Proposer of the Toast ” New Members & Guests” 2010
Proposer of the Toast “Chairman, Croupiers & Artistes” 2013
Lionel was born in Woolwich on the 15th December 1932. He weighted little more than 2lbs and was the first and only child of William and Florence Sparrow. His father who came from a family of City Traders, worked as a greengrocer and became a Freeman of the City of London. His mother was a nanny to the world-famous Rothschild’s family and travelled the world extensively with the family.
Lionel grew up in his family home, in Plumstead. During the first part of World War II, he and his parents were evacuated to Somerset where they were taken in by a family of carpenters and blacksmiths. During this period, Lionel attended the Priory School in Taunton.
Returning to London due to his father’s failing health, Lionel continued his schooling at St Olaves School. His father sadly passed away when he was just 11 years of age and, with the war continuing, Lionel and his mother were once more evacuated to Devon.
Leaving school at the age of 16, Lionel started his working life with ‘Fraser & Chalmers’ as an apprentice foundryman. The company went on to become known as GEC and Lionel worked his way up to a position within the Purchasing department.
Away from work, Lionel was a very keen and talented jazz drummer. He used to play all night with the band, get the milk train home in the morning, and grab a few hours’ sleep before going back to work.
One particular night, Lionel attended a party where he met Margaret, who had gone to the party with her best friend Jean and another close friend called Cyril. Cyril was a mortician, who was well known for his cold hands but who, being a gentleman, had promised Margaret’s father that he would make sure she got home safe later that evening.
Lionel managed to steal Margaret away from ‘cool hands Cyril’ and offered to walk her home. Cyril however stayed true to his word and followed both Margaret and Lionel home that night, at a discrete distance of course.
Dating a drummer who was a regular at several jazz venues across London, in the company of musicians including the likes of Frankie Vaughn, Joe Loss and others, Margaret soon became a full-time groupie! To further his music career, Lionel joined an agency and found himself playing at everything from pit orchestras to weddings and even strip clubs.
After a four-year courtship, Lionel and Margaret announced their engagement. Margaret had found a talented young musician with good prospects, and it was a widely held belief that Lionel had found a girl capable of carrying a full drum kit!
Lionel completed his National Service as a bomb armourer based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire. After obtaining a compassionate discharge in 1957 due to his mother’s failing health, wedding plans were brought forward and Lionel & Margaret married in St. Thomas’s Church, Charlton on the 7th June 1958 after which they honeymooned in Sidmouth. Lionel and Margaret started their married life living with his mother but sadly, within 8 weeks of their wedding she passed away.
One year into their marriage, the couple invested in a Lambretta scooter, which didn’t always agree with Margaret’s hairstyle of the day, as Lionel always made her wear a helmet, and not just a head scarf like her friends!
In 1962, they moved into their first home in Gravesend, and were blessed to have two children, a son Andrew born in 1964, and daughter Julie in 1965. In 1967, Lionel’s career moved on when he offered a job with Cameron Iron Works. The job was at their new facility north of the border in Livingston. So, the family moved north briefly renting a house in Livingston before settling what became Lionel’s forever home, in Dalmahoy Crescent, Balerno. Margaret apparently had doubts about moving north and said she’d move up for a year to see how it goes…….that was 57 years ago!
Lionel and Margaret settled well into Scottish life, and Lionel’s career progressed with him taking on more responsibility which brought about travel in France, USA, Algeria and Nigeria amongst many destinations.
Family holidays were enjoyed in Sidmouth and occasionally in the Spanish sunshine. Time was also spent visiting family back in London, where they always enjoyed a good East End party. Lionel had always wanted to learn to fly so Margaret gifted him a flying lesson for his 50th birthday. He got the bug and a few thousand pounds and many flying hours later he qualified and got his private pilot’s licence.
With the oil industry booming in Scotland, Cameron Iron Works took the shooting and fishing lease on Murthly Estate in Perthshire in order to entertain customers. This introduced Lionel to new hobbies …. shooting and fishing. Many weekends were spent in Dunkeld at the Athol Arms Hotel entertaining corporate oil clients, and at the same time two more strong, lifelong friendships grew with Fred Murray and Jimmy Johnstone.
Lionel, Fred, and Jimmy spent many nights after the clients had retired for the evening, discussing the virtues of, and sampling, Scotland’s national drink. After a long day shooting or fishing, many brands would be sampled to ensure each was given a fair crack at the title of favourite tipple.
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Fred, Lionel and Jimmy on a Shooting trip to Mexico with their Mexican guide
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In the mid 90’s, Lionel retired from Cameron Iron Works but soon found himself getting under Margaret’s feet. Not being one to sit still for long, he returned to work. After a short period as a consultant for a haulage company, Lionel again joined forces with the ex-CEO of Cameron Iron Works working at Weatherford on the north side of Aberdeen.
When he retired for a second time, Lionel, along with his good pals Fred and Jimmy, continued to provide pheasant shooting events for wealthy American and European clients. Friends for over 50 years, some suggested it was to allow them to slope off during the shooting season. Surely not!
Husband and wife, Lionel and Margaret; married for 66 years, inevitably had their own recipe for success. As a couple they never argued…. Lionel learnt very quickly that Margaret was always right. Around the house, Margaret was a great cook, and Lionel was a brilliant washer upper. He was always the one standing at the sink rattling through the plates, the cutlery, the pots and pans. He didn’t believe in dishwashers!
Lionel’s son Andrew has fond memories of growing up fishing for salmon with his dad in the River Tay, and how Lionel patiently taught him how to shoot too. Lionel’s interest in shooting, coupled with his business skills, led to an invitation in late 2007 to become a director of Dickson McNaughton, the famous Edinburgh gun makers, a role he relished and in which he gained much respect.
Father and son, Lionel and Andrew are honorary members of the Scottish Gun Club, with grandson Daniel a member too. Lionel was extremely proud to have three generations of his family in the club which was very dear to his heart, and of which he was honorary historian.
Lionel joined ‘Let it Blaw’ (the Balerno Burns Club) in 1980 and, at the time of his death, he was the fourth longest serving member of the Club. He was a close friend of former club Presidents Jimmy Johnstone and Ron Hardy who together proposed his membership. Despite being a member for 45 years, he still couldn’t get his south of England accent around the Club name which he always referred to as Let it Blow.
Lionel took great delight back in 2022 when his American family were over visiting, in ‘Addressing the Haggis.’ He was word perfect, and his actions including holding a “Sgian Dubh” to the throat of his prospective new grandson-in-law, something Kyle will never forget!
Lionel was a well-loved and well-respected man; kind, caring, loving and loyal and always genuinely interested in others. A proud man in every sense of the word.
Lionel Sparrow – the perfect Gentleman.
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