RECENT DEATHS REPORTED BY OTHER BRANCHES

Steve CLARK
    It is with a great deal of sadness Bury Branch announce the death of retired Inspector Steve CLARK who passed away peacefully during the night Monday 1 March 2021 aged 69. Steve was being treated in hospital for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia which left him with no immunity and he succumbed to Sepsis and Pneumonia.
    Emily, Steve’s daughter has written
his Police Career:
    When Steve and his friend Billy Dyke were planning a future together, they applied for Greater Manchester Police;
Steve was successful, joining the force in 1976.  At Prestwich, he and Billy Dyke had Mick Chew as their Sergeant.  They all became good friends, and Billy Dyke was Best Man for Steve at his wedding to Sandra.  Steve spent some time working at Whitefield in ‘plain clothes’ dealing with licensing and then applied for a position in CID, but this was declined because ‘his face was too memorable’ and even now, the Clark family have an ‘in joke’ that wherever Steve went, he knew someone, or someone knew him.
    He progressed to Sergeant and was based at Eccles but then transferred back to Bury.  Whilst on shift in Bury and Whitfield he studied part-time, whilst still working shifts, to gain his degree in Social History and Politics in order to further his career.  He went on to an acting appointment of Inspector in Oldham and was promoted to Inspector of the Radcliffe and Ramsbottom townships.  He was a member of the Area Board and so was involved in both council and civil duties.  Steve and Dave Jones were inspectors in Bury and both attended the same presentation for their ‘Long Service medals’.  Sandra and the girls have fond memories of Steve coming home on his meal breaks to share some quality time with family over the dining table (because we always ate at the dining table unless it was ‘pizza night’) and when leaving, the girls would stand in the bay window or on the porch begging Dad to put his ‘blues and two’s’ on – he always obliged of course!

    Steve retired from Greater Manchester Police in 2006, taking a long weekend off and then jumped straight into his new position at Bury Church of England High School as Pastoral Co-ordinator at the start of the school year.  Steve thoroughly enjoyed his role in caring for lots of young people, lots of whom have made contact sharing their good wishes and fond memories of him.  It is clear that he had a positive impact on lots of people.


Lloyd THOMAS
    Wigan & Leigh Branch announce the death of Lloyd THOMAS. 
He died suddenly at home on Friday 12th March 2021.

    Lloyd spent his early years on the L Division, then Fraud Squad, R&D and latterly K Division. After he retired he worked as an usher at Wigan Magistrates Court.

Len GREEN

    Bolton Branch have been informed of the death of  PC 4744 Len Green. He went into Bolton Hospital Sunday 21st March 2021 for tests and unfortunately had a Heart Attack whilst being treated.
Len spent most his service in Atherton/Tyldesley, with a later spell at Leigh.  He was well known and respected 
by his many colleagues and friends.  He is survived by his wife Paulette and son.


Phillip Gray ARNFIELD
    Alex Arnfield writes to inform us of the death of his brother, Phillip Gray ARNFIELD, OBE, on 22nd March 2021, aged 81 years.

    Phillip joined Manchester City Police as a cadet in 1956, becoming a Constable on the E Division at Platt Lane in1959, then on numerous other divisions in Manchester and GMP reaching the rank of Chief Superintendent.  He was then, in 1985 appointed as ACC in Cheshire Constabulary.  "Retiring" in 1991, he became Commissioner of Fiji Police until 1994.  He has lived in the Isle of Man since 2009, and is survived by his wife, Dorothy, and two sons.

David "Nunny" NUNWICK
    Rochdale Branch inform members of the passing of David "Nunny" Nunwick.



    David joined GMP In December 1975, having worked for Barclays Bank for several years after leaving school, and he retired in 2006.   His first posting was to Heywood, the town where he had spent his early childhood and where he lived when he married Rosemary in 1977.  Apart from spending his pre-retirement year in Rochdale CID office, David spent most of his service in Middleton and Heywood. He was the area officer for Ashworth and Birtle for many years and he loved being out and about meeting people.
    A new initiative by GMP saw David become the first school based police officer at Heywood High School.
    Away from work David played rugby union in his younger days and had a life long association with Scouting, as a leader for many years and later  as Assistant Warden at Ashworth Valley Scout Camp site.
     In November 2014 David was diagnosed with atypical Alzheimer’s disease and he passed away peacefully on April 2nd 2021  aged 68 leaving his wife Rosemary, daughter Katy and her partner Nathan and two young grandsons.
    Rosemary and Katy decided early on in David’s illness to donate his brain for research (no humorous comments please !) and this has been carried out. Donations in David’s memory may be made to Manchester Neurological Research Trust Fund.

Anthony (Tony) ANDREW
    Altrincham Branch announce
the death of Anthony (Tony) Andrew, 77yrs, who passed away on Tuesday 13th April 2021 following a long illness.
    Tony served in Manchester Police (E Division and C Division) and Greater Manchester Police, retiring from Manchester Airport as a firearms officer.

    He leaves a widow, Mary, and two children.


Denzel ["Des"] ARDERN
    Altrincham Branch announce the death of Denzel Ardern, 80 years. Denzel passed away on 1st May 2021 following a short illness. He leaves a widow, Jean, and two daughters.
    He started his career in Cheshire Constabulary before transferring to Greater Manchester Police in the 1974 reorganisation. On his retirement after 30 years service he was serving as Detective Chief Inspector at Hyde, Tameside. Following his retirement he became Head of Security at Stepping Hill Hospital and spent some time as President of Stockport Rotary Club.

    Denzel's funeral will take place on Thursday 27th May 2021 at Macclesfield Crematorium, Cheshire at 2pm. Covid restrictions will obviously apply.

Jerome Andrew BACCHUS
   Rochdale Branch announce the death of Jerome Bacchus on 5th May 2021 at the age of 56.
    Jerome was a serving Constable Instructor in the Driver Training Unit at Greater Manchester Police at the time of his retirement and continued post-retirement as a civilian Team Leader for Driver Training until his death.
    He had proudly spent his whole career in unformed service, with the British Army from October 1986 in frontline action as a light infantryman with The Green Howards regiment serving in first Gulf War; with the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and tours of Northern Ireland.
    In 1996, he transferred to Police service with Grampian Police (now part of Police Scotland) where he served in the Traffic Department based mainly in Elgin, but also on attachment to the Royal Court in Balmoral on close protection duties for the Royal family and visiting dignitaries.
    In 2008, to be married, he transferred his service to GMP where he served as a Firearms Officer and subsequently as a Constable in Roads Policing, moving to the Driver Training Unit as Constable Instructor until his retirement in 2019, Returning in a civilian role as Team Leader – Driver Training until his death.


Thomas HEARLE
    Bury Branch announce the death of retired Inspector Thomas Hearle age 90 who died on Sunday 16 May 2021 from natural causes. Thomas is survived by his wife Joan, son, daughter, three granddaughters and a great granddaughter.
    Thomas Hearle was born in New Jersey, U.S.A on 2nd December 1930 to Scottish parents who became homesick for Glasgow and moved back to Scotland when he was 4. Being unable to find work in Scotland during the Great Depression, his parents moved to Accrington where his dad found work as a textile engraver.

    Tom always loved music and was a member of both school and church choirs. As a hobby he enjoyed conjuring and became a member of the Modern Mystic League.

    On leaving school he became a textile engraver like his dad. It was a trade he thoroughly enjoyed. Tom then served two years National Service in the Royal Artillery in Cyprus until he left military service at the end of 1953.

    In 1955 Tom joined Lancashire Constabulary, found that they liked to move you around a lot and that you had to live in a police house in the place you were posted to. That meant for the next 12 years Tom moved from Farnworth to Leigh, then Little Hulton, Kirkby and then Bury.

    Tom was a uniform Inspector at Bury. He also did two years as Prosecutions officer there, before becoming an instructor for a further two years at the Police Training Centre at Bruche. With local Government re-organisation in 1974 Tom joined GMP.

    Bruche was followed by a posting to Middleton. After further service at Whitefield and force H.Q. Tom retired from GMP with the rank of Inspector and joined a firm of Bury Solicitors, finally retiring in 1993.

    Tom was a real gentleman who loved nothing more than being with people, whether it be with his family, singing with the Greater Manchester Police Choir or cheering on the ‘Clarets’ at his beloved Turf Moor.

    If anyone would like to leave a message, please do so on this page. Tribute to Thomas Hearle, 1930 - 2021 of Bury (muchloved.com) there is also the option of adding tributes and photographs. Tom’s family would love to hear about any stories and memories that you may have about the wonderful man that he was.

    Requiem Mass will be held at Guardian Angels Roman Catholic Church on Tuesday 1st June 2021 at 10:00 am followed by committal 11:30 am at Radcliffe Crematorium, Cemetery Road, Radcliffe. Manchester M26 4EU.
  Due to current restrictions, attendance to his funeral will be by invitation only. If you would like to attend, please contact Steven tel: 07939 331008.
    Floral tributes are family only. However, if anyone wishes to pay tribute to Tom, they are very welcome to do so by donating to NHS Charities with his name as reference.
  Those who would like to show their respects, and whilst socially distancing, are asked to line the driveway to the Crematorium.  The attending undertakers are Silletts Funeral Service, Spring Lane, Radcliffe. M26 2TQ. Tele 0161 723 2383.