One of the things I most enjoyed as a public representative was meeting with people either in advance of an election or in between times when they required my support.

With a busy constituency and varied responsibilities including 18 years in various ministerial roles I didn’t get to catch up with constituents who became friends as often as I would have wished.

Now, other than the present situation with lockdown, I’m making up for lost time by calling on them to catch up and share some time, and memories.

In the past too often I’ve said I need to go and see someone but sadly before I got the opportunity it was too late. So I’m determined when things improve to carry on with my visits.

I always remember my dad talking to me about the characters around old Douglas.

Some had colourful names and equally interesting stories to tell. We need characters, I don’t want to live in a society of bland sameness!

They have interesting tales to tell and time goes by very quickly. Often they experienced struggles in housing or employment, which was very seasonal. Busy during the summer or on the dole, winter works schemes or having to leave the island to find work out of the season.

Willie Kneale over the years was a proposer or seconder for me regularly at election time and he’s now 88. Before lockdown I called around to Hillside Terrace in the evening and we put the world right or shared many happy memories over three hours or so.

Almost four years ago Willie lost his Wife Joan. She was a lovely gentle lady and they had been married only months short of 60 years. They have a daughter Janette and family who live in the UK.

Like many families they were very proud that Janette was the first member of their family to attend university and do well in her chosen career. She now has family of her own who Willie is proud of as well.

Sadly losing Joan has hit him hard.

Willie’s mum and dad were both lovely people and lived next door to Willie and Joan. They had known hard times and worked hard to make a better life for those who followed them on. They both lived long lives.

Willie has always been the best type of ’community man’ and he shares stories of helping out the older folks who lived in Hillside Avenue and areas adjacent.

He would attend first thing in the morning to help light their fires or come home from work at Martin Bake,r where he worked for 34 years, to do all sorts of things to help them out before he got his tea.

I remember one fiercely independent lady who had profound medical issues but wished to remain in her own home.

Willie would help her in so many ways to maintain her independence assisting her with physical mobility issues despite the time consumed.

The present government policy is to try to enable people to remain in their own homes as they get older. A noble aim but it will require proper funding and staffing. With our age demographics this will become increasingly important.

Together with neighbours, including Eveline Lee, he established Hillside Avenue Social Club.

The Hillsiders enjoyed many coach trips out for both families and adults to special places around the island, often the driver was John Webster, organised street parties and at Christmas time, on St Stephen’s Day, December 26, known better as Boxing Day, after the festivities of the day before, would set off around the avenue at about 9.30am, singing carols. I was invited to join both activities and I remember many happy social events at South Douglas Old Friends’ Club or Ronaldsway Aircraft Social Club where dancing and a buffet were always enjoyed.

The evenings always ended with the gents singing to the ladies ’Good Night Ladies!’ and the Manx National Anthem. I enjoyed the warm hospitality of friends and neighbours on St Stephen’s Day as we ’hunted the wren’.

Willie reminded me of the time after a full morning of wren hunting activity we had returned to his home for further ’hospitality’, including the obligatory home-made mince pies and Desperate Dan cow pie, washed down with refreshments.

He would call up his auntie in America and we would all sing ’hunt the wren’ to her.

About 3.30pm I decided it would be a good idea to walk up to the Woodbourne, despite his best advice, for further celebrations. There was always a lovely Christmas atmosphere with all the male voices in the gentlemen’s bar, but after a long day of ’hospitality’ I was tired out!

Willie is rightly very proud of his Royal Artillery connections having completed National Service from 1952 when he was drafted to Germany to help protect the country from the threat of the Russians.

His commitment continued after his return to the island where later he became branch secretary for the Royal Artillery Association and in 2011 after 17 years in that position was one of only three persons in total who had been awarded the prestigious RAA Gold Medal for his work.

In the Queen’s Birthday Honours list Willie was further honoured by being awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the ex-service and local communities on the Isle of Man. He went on to serve the Royal Artillery Association for 23 years.

He also, among other roles, served his community and his fellow ex service colleagues on the War Pensions Committee.

He worked hard to obtain recognition for a family member who had left the island to live in America and served that nation with distinction, now remembered on Douglas War Memorial.

Willie also served on the Armed Forces Day Committee with among others Terry Toohey, who was so kind to Willie when Joan was in hospital for an extended period where he picked up and dropped off Willie in his car after his daily all afternoon visits to be with her.

Willie was involved in setting up junior football with others including the late George Joughin, another character who did much for young people.

Brian Callow reminded me that Willie was the first chairman of the Isle of Man Junior football league which now has over 1,600 registered players. That’s quite a legacy for a great man!

When Hillside Avenue was getting refurbished I worked with Willie to help families who needed our support.

It was a significant scheme and there were a number of issues for us to resolve along the way.

We tried to ensure the work was carried out in a timely manner and with care for older residents and young families in particular. I remember being accused by the then Minister for Local Government of being like Oliver Twist - ’always asking for more’!

Willie has been a loyal member of the Castletown Metropolitan Silver Band on the trombone for many years.

He has a great love of music and people around the island will remember him at concerts in between musical numbers introducing a humorous story with a real Manx emphasis to most of them!

David Kneale (no relation), whose late mum went to Sunday school with Willie in Victoria Street 80 years ago, now has the role as band compere. Recently due to his health not being so good he recently missed his first band practice in 43 years but I’m pleased to say prior to lockdown he was back in action again.

On September 1, 2020, following the passing of the band president Edwin Cubbon, the band’s annual general meeting unanimously agreed to invite Willie to become its new president, which he of course was pleased to accept.

Willie and I were made life members of the Manx Labour Party at last year’s AGM.

He was very touched and felt his dad would have been delighted. Willie had been a member many years before on behalf of the Isle of Man Trades Council but had left as anyone who knows him will confirm he holds firm views on social justice issues and had disagreed with the then public representatives.

I asked Willie to consider rejoining and fortunately he agreed. His knowledge of learning from history being shared with members is very valuable. He holds strong views on issues, principally affecting older people such as the over 75s TV licence, the cost of residential and nursing care, and the difficulties some people face struggling to pay for the funeral of a loved one.

I will always be grateful to all those who have supported over the years and spending the evening with Willie when he might otherwise have been on his own was time well spent and to be cherished.

A friend of mine Geoff Bayliss, himself an RAF veteran, reminded me about how Willie and his good friend Joe Cain, Geoff’s uncle, would often entertain at his grandmother’s Christmas parties. He said they were and are a great double act, with jokes a song or two and Willies tales of their time in uniform. Christmas and other family occasions were enhanced by his presence.

David Lang told me how a while ago at a Castletown band concert he and Willie spent a happy half hour reminiscing about David’s late father Captain Wm Lang RM and Major Tommy Thirtle, another well respected person who came to live in Castletown and conducted the band, all three knew each other.

Crossing the generations Willie is also a hero to David’s 11-year-old grandson Oscar, who also plays in the band.

Lauren Latham another band player described Willie as a favourite of everyone in the band.

Stew Gray remembers sitting next to Willie in the band for a couple of years and is looking forward to see him again soon when he can return to the Island and describes him as a Manx institution!

Pam Evans told me Willie never changes.

She remembered him from back in the early 1960s when he, along with her dad Ted Evans were in the Labour Party and Isle of Man Trades Council. Willie was younger than her dad but they got on so well together and put the world to rights.

She remembered Joan as a lovely person and them calling at Pam’s house in Willaston, the proud parents of their new baby daughter. She recalled that for years after her dad died Willie always made a fuss of her mum if they happened to meet when out. She describes him as a true Manxman.

The policy of encouraging light industry to our island was a far-sighted one providing year round employment and more security. Willie made many friends at Martin Baker, who remember him fondly including Angus Hoban, Stan Phillips, Stuart Fayle and Paul Sayle.

When we met, Willie told me how grateful he was to have good neighbours to help out when needed with shopping and other jobs, including Karen Ainley, Ann and Gareth Hardinge and a number of others.

He was happy that Stephen Pitts, one of his councillors, had dropped him some cans of beer off as, with the weather and other issues, he hadn’t been able to get out for a few weeks in the evening. Just as Willie had cared for those in need in his community when needed his neighbours and friends have stood up to the plate now.

I’m very fond of Willie who has a strong sense of right and wrong and will always speak up for those without a voice.

His life has been an example of dedication and commitment to his fellow citizens and community, from which we would all do well to learn. Thank you Willie!

David’s next column will be in Tuesday’s Isle of Man Examiner.