A well-known member of the farming community has died after spending his working life in agriculture.

Ray Griffin’s funeral will take place tomorrow (Friday).

His father was a farm labourer and moved around the island for work.

So Ray, who died at the age of 90, changed schools as he did so. He began his education at Braddam Primary and then went to Rushen and later Onchan. He went to secondary school at Ballakermeen in Douglas.

His working life started at the age of 14.

His first job was to clear a field of stones before sowing a crop of oats. The man for whom he worked gave him a heavy galvanized bucket to carry the stones to bottom of the field.

Later the same day he was given a second bucket as he was to slow with one.

After this he worked for a man called Leslie Norton and his mother and this was a much better job this was in Baldwin.

His third job was for big Frank Christian and his father.

Ray’s son Derek can remember him telling ther family about breaking horses and Frank’s father telling Frank not to kill him before harvest was finished.

After working for Frank Christian, he went to Ballahot in Malew to work for Taggart Kennaugh.

He told his family about a blizzard blowing hard and the workers told to get all the stock in – even the dogs. But he and a colleague had to finish the day docking turnips,.

His favourite job was working for Harold Gill on the mills, driving from farm to farm threshing the crops of grain.

Derek said: ‘It must have been some sight on the roads with a Field Marshall tractor towing the threshing mill which in turn was towing the baler/packer and the finally a trailer with odds and ends on.’

While he was working for Harold he married Margret Corkill (Peggy) in April 1957.

With the retirement of Harold he headed out to Kirk Michael to work for John Cannell senior at Ballacarnane.

He then got a job as farm manager with a Swedish man call Axel Isador Hulcolm at Ballakew, St Mark’s.

However, while working there his old boss Harold Gill was giving up the tenacy of Upper Stuggadhoo farm at the Braaid.

He put a good word in for him with the owner, a Mrs Quirk, and he got the lease so left Ballakew.

But with Stuggadhoo only being 20 acres he took a job driving a cattle wagon for Sid Corlett to make ends meet.

There was many an early start on the cattle wagons back then and even later finishes as in those days the wagons were smaller and the mart sales bigger.

After this he got the tenacy of Seafield in Santon, where he and Peggy started a small dairy herd, with sheep, beef and pigs plus a few hens as most farmers did back in those days – a truly mixed farm.

The 70s seen them move to Ballagawne, Kirk Michael, in the later years at Ballgawne they took on the tenacy of the Mitre Hotel in the village where they were for 17 happy years.

While they were there they did many different things to raise money for charity, including pulling and helicopter car around the TT course, year a stretcher with patient from Ramsey to Douglas, the Senior TT trophy on a trailer around TT.

They also organosed a cycle ride around the island and even It’s a Knock out at Onchan Stadium and ‘the world champoinship wheel barrow race’ around Billown.

After the Mitre they went to the Rushen Abbey hotel for a short while.

When Ray was there he helped his son out at Meary Voar farm in Santon where they built up herds of Highlanders, Herefords and beef shorthorns which went to win at many shows on island and away.

At one stage a few Highlanders were sold to a true gentleman named Sir Robert Goff at Eairy Moar, Glen Helen, where Ray kept an eye on them.

Over the years numbers grew to more than 50 cows and became a full time job which he worked at until his late 80s.

Derek said: ‘He was a tough old boy walking up there at 80-odd in the big snow 2012 I think it was.

‘He will leave a big hole in many people’s hearts but more so his wife of 66 years Peggy.’

Ray died peacefully on December 19 at Noble’s Hospital Braddan, with his family by his side.

He was a loving to Derek and Susie, grandad/gangan to Tammy, Vic, Claire, Ian and Abbie, dear great grandad to Sean, Ben, Jay, Lilly, Tayla, Torin and Miah.

His funeral service will take place on Friday, December 29, at 12.45pm, at Kirk Michael Parish Church followed by cremation at Douglas Borough Crematorium. The funeral directors request family flowers only.