This site is a tribute to Bill. He is much loved and will always be remembered.
Bill was born 30/08/1961 he was the second son of Ron & Joan Corbett when Bill was young if you asked his siblings, he was very tormentative and very mischievous he spent a lot of time at his Nanny Lill’s where he learned how to cook he did many different food concoctions went to Storey street primary school until the age of 11 then he went to Brampton Manor secondary school.
After secondary school, Bill started a Painting & Decorating apprenticeship at East Ham College where he passed all his City & Guilds. Bill used to go to the Co-op for his lunchtime this is where we used to meet and have a snog. After College he had plenty of work within the building trade, he worked day in day out. Bill did work at some of the cinemas in the west end of London. Also, the white Tower of London, also on the Royal Albert Hall.
When we finally got married in December 1982 we had 5 children Jacqueline, Karen, Stephen died at 5 months old, Sandra was born we lived in North Woolwich. We moved to Beckton, William was born, Bill was very family orientated, every weekend Bill would drive us to either the coast, forest, parks or zoos. We had a couple of camping holidays, as well as caravan holidays. But the one we remember the most was Blue Sky in Great Yarmouth, that Kev shut down (as Bill would say).
After 21 years of the decorating trade, we ran a burger stall for 10 years at Essex Arms Pub in Canning Town. People would visit from all over for our top-quality food mainly the moresomes. We did an introductory computing course intermediate & advanced data input, assembling and repairing computers. I lost interest but Bill continued he was the go-to guy for software problems.
We moved to Chelmsford in Bill Graham and Billy helped build the fish pond, as well as building BBQs for our own home as well as neighbours. Bill took pride in the gardens planting flowers. We had quite a few parties where Bill was a party animal doing Dad dances. When we moved to Devon we 1st lived on Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bill used to do canvassing for Anglian Windows. We moved to Fir Walk, where took pride with Graham and Billy help in the gardens. Bill went to work at Riverford foods he worked there for 2 years. After being on his feet for more than 12hrs a day he gave this Job up.
This is when he worked for different ADL Care Homes where he started back to Painting decorating. Bill would go visit boot fairs and Auctions to find items to upcycle to create masterpieces to sell.
Bill had stayed in hospital so on his 60th birthday where all our family gathered together for a celebration lunch when Bill opened his cards & presents. Bill stayed in the hospital for 8 weeks then he decided enough was enough he wanted to come home with all his family around him. The weekend before Bill passed away he saw his family, Bill got his wish.
But Bill final wish was to have his ashes scattered at 3 miles out at sea so he will have the last laugh because I do not like boats.
Bill’s tribute has been lovingly written by Maureen
My dad was one of a kind be had a very short life once he was diagnosed with prostate cancer I ask all men get regular check ups and spread the word cancer kills our dad was the heart of our family my mum has lost her child sweetheart they grew up together and they were each others love from the first time they got together age 16 my mum will never be the same love you dad love your first born No.1
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