DONALD (Donnie) PEERS

1933-2003

The following tribute was delivered at Donny's funeral on 3rd April 2003 by former Wirral Branch Ringing Master, Eric Jones of West Kirby.

My first recollections of Donnie were in the mid/late 1960's at a Wallasey St Nicks branch meeting. I remember his car.

They say that you can tell a lot about someone by the car they drive. I think it was true in this case.

Donnie had a Renault 4.

If I had to sum up a Renault 4 in three words, I'd say Logical, Different, Unassuming. I think that in many ways it mirrors Donnie's character.

In terms of Logic, it was way ahead of its time. The rear seats could be folded, removed to give a wide range of different carrying capacity. This was 25 years before the term Multi-Purpose Vehicle had been coined. There was logic in its design that was simplicity itself, yet initially it seemed strange because other cars at the time weren't like that.

Donnie was a practical logical man. He used to cycle miles and miles. He always had a pannier or two crammed with equipment, just in case. He had a support system, which would have sustained him for a considerable time if the need arose.

Some of his equipment caused amusement. I remember he had a huge heavy bike chain and an equally stout padlock. He took the main key with him and secreted a spare key within the panniers, just in case he lost the main key. As a precaution, in the panniers, he also carried a hacksaw blade so that if he lost both the main and back-up keys he could cut the lock off.

Some folks laughed at this and thought that it was crazy, but Donnie's logic was that a would -be thief wouldn't find the spare key, because no-one would look for one. Equally, no-one but the rightful owner would spend the time with a hacksaw cutting off the lock.

Entirely logical.

Donnie went through a period of pulling a homemade trolley. In that he had a 4-litre flask. Again, some folks laughed 'Why carry so much water for just one person?' Again Donnie logic was that if you had a trolley, the weight was irrelevant, the wheels took the load and if you had a large reservoir of hot water, the last cup of tea would be almost as hot as the first.

Entirely logical.

I said that Renault 4s were different. In the 60's most cars in UK were British. Foreign cars were a bit of a novelty and many people were put off buying them for fear of what others may think.

Donnie had no qualms about being different; he had no need to conform to the norm and didn't need to 'keep up with the Joneses'. He kept himself very much up to date with the world about him by reading the daily papers. He was quite happy to discuss many, many topics with others, but would never force his point of view upon them. He was quite content to let others hold views, which were different to his own.

Donnie did have a view of the world different to many. He was quite content with the simple pleasures of life and was never happier than being in the countryside walking and watching the world go by. It was such a joy seeing someone who could enjoy life as it is, without craving for something else, something unattainable. Donnie was different - but he was happy.

That brings me to the third word describing the Renault - Unassuming.

The little car would pass by unnoticed and would carry its occupants with no fuss or drama. You'd hardly know it was there.

Donnie got on with things in his own way, never interfering, never demanding. Yet his life had its share of ups and downs. If anything, he had more to complain about than most of us if truth be told, but he didn't complain, just got on with the journey of life. He never demanded things of others, but he would help others when they asked him.

Donnie would rarely force his way into a conversation, but would readily chat to anyone. You could have a conversation, then meet him again months later and unlike some others he would remember what you'd said. I found his conversation interesting. He was well read and despite outward appearances, which could lead people to think otherwise, Donnie was a very intelligent man who could hold a challenging conversation.

Over the years I met Donnie on many, many occasions at Branch meetings, which he attended frequently, but over the last 5 years or so, we had the pleasure of his company at West Kirby practice nights, especially during the summer months.

For Donnie the journey was as interesting as the practice.

At first he came on his bike, complete with panniers, sometimes taking the train home. Then he went through a phase of walking, bringing with him his home made trolley.

Bromborough to West Kirby is a fair walk, even if you take the most direct route. Donnie would always take the scenic route. He'd make a day of it- start off at 9 in the morning, chat to people along the way on the highways and byways - mostly the byways. He'd be there for practice and then join us in the pub, but then the best bit for Donnie - he'd walk home. We never did establish what time he got there but it was probably not until 4 o'clock the next morning.

Most people would think this strange, but again his logic comes in to play. Why not enjoy the night sky, the stillness and the sounds of the countryside? There wasn't any great rush to get home and he could sleep in the next day, so why not enjoy it? But what if it rained? You might say. Well Donnie was no fool, he'd always check the weather reports before he started off and besides he'd have his back up plan or plans. He'd have his food, shelter, umbrella, back up umbrella all in his trolley.

But what about the bell ringing? For those non-ringers, forgive me, if I start to talk in a foreign language but Donnie and many here today will know exactly what I'm talking about.

I don't know when Donnie started ringing, but he had lots of experience. He was never a high flier in ringing terms but he could hold his own.

At West Kirby on the practice nights that Donnie attended, we went through a phase of ringing minor methods Cambridge, Primrose, London, Wells all spliced together, with the odd lead of Single Oxford or St Clements thrown in for good measure. Unsurprisingly not all of these touches came round, but Donnie was never one to complain that others had gone wrong. He always admitted when he knew he'd caused a fire-up, a quality not found in many ringers I've come across.

We had great fun and Donnie's attendance allowed us to attempt some of the more outlandish ringing. He was always up for trying something new and would do his level best to learn whatever it was for the following week's practice. We owe him a debt of gratitude - to meet one short is always frustrating, but Donnie helped us to complete the band many a time.

During this period we had many conversations, he offered his peppermints around and we offered chocolates. We'd pull his leg. But the leg-pulling wasn't just one -way traffic. It took a little time before he felt comfortable, but when he did he often came up with some quick witty ripostes and quips. This was a side of Donnie I hadn't seen before and it was really nice that he was able to join in the leg pulling. I'd only ever seen the quiet passive Donnie before.

Over the past year or so he went to the Rock Ferry practice on Tuesday nights and was helping out there. I'm sure they benefited from his experience and welcomed his support and patience. I know he'd happily ring rounds all night and still come back for more the following week.

Donnie wasn't planning to leave us just yet. He'd had recent quotes for canvas to recover the canoe he'd built himself years ago. Quite where he was planning to paddle, we don't know, but I'm sure that there was a plan for another water-borne journey.

He'd had his bike serviced in January, just a couple of months ago. January? I hadn't given my bike a thought, but Donnie had. Take it to the bike shop when trade is slack and they'll spend more time doing a good job. Logical through and through.

He'd just bought himself a CD player - still in the box Donnie was a character. A character we'll all miss. But it was easy to mistake him for what he was. Behind the rumpled trousers in need of a press, behind the bushy beard, behind the thick spectacles was a kind, intelligent man.

I have fond memories of him, as I'm sure many of you have. He didn't follow convention, but enriched the lives of many.

Donnie was a gentle man and a true gentleman. I'm sure I speak for all of you when I say ' Donnie It was nice knowing you and sharing some of our lives with you - Enjoy your next journey'.