Octopus of Odstock

Winnie Mandela, albeit on a technicality.

Who doesn't love a scurrilous health rumour? Jean Todt, ex FIA and Ferrari head, perhaps best known to the wider world for his marriage to Michelle Yeoh. Looks thinner in recent photos, sold off his vast watch collection for millions, upset his best friend and no longer speaks to him, married Yeoh one year earlier than planned. Could it be that he married early as he won't make it to next year? Won't speak to his friend as he knows he's on his way out? Raising money for funds for treatment? Or a load of old claptrap? You decide....

Famous enough in his own right as well as the family link. Ex Celtic, ex Reading (decent player actually), ex Scotland U21 defender, played his uncle in the Damned United. Sorry to hear he's unwell, but it doesn't look good. Reading FC's most recent death (as it were) is currently Neale Cooper who played briefly in the early 1990's. Gray or the MND stricken Jason Bowen would change that to significantly much more recently.

Miles Jupp will only be Archie from Balamory in my eyes, having watched endless repeats as the three kids grew up. I can't quite adjust to him having a career thereafter!

Ian Wilmut is a hit

Mark Pearson, a Busby Babe who was one of the makeshift 11 that played in the first post-Munich game in 1958, has died. Also played for Sheffield Wednesday and Fulham. https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/obituary-for-former-manchester-united-favourite-mark-pearson

Edited

Okay, there are a few updates though: Name Mr John Simm Birth 24 Nov 1929 Death 12 Apr 2018 Residence Wigan, Wigan, England Stan Nicholson: His birth entry says his mother's name was Lewis Stanley Nicholson 1931–2023 BIRTH ABT SEP 1931 • Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England DEATH 15 FEB 2023 • Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England Mother is Olive Lewis, so it's the same chap.

Her Ah bumholes, thought we had it then. Let me do some more digging.

Having - finally - had the chance to subscribe to Ancestry again and to have the time to go through it, Eric Hampson is indeed dead. Died in 1995. Facts 1921(AGE) Select fact Birth 11 Nov 1921 • Leek. Staffordshire 193918 Select fact Residence 1939 • Staffordshire, England 1 source 194220 Select fact Marriage Mar 1942 • Stoke, Staffordshire Ethel Morris (1922–1973) 197048 Death of father Edwin Hampson(1894–1970) Apr 1970 • Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England 197351 Death of wife Ethel Morris(1922–1973) Oct 1973 • Peacehaven Sussex 199573 Select factView Death 1 Nov 1995 1 source Select fact Burial Staffordshire, England 1 source

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/michael-flatley-staying-positive-gives-27492209 Skin cancer, but is having treatment. Think he'll be alright for the time being.

Maybe it's been a long day at work but I had to read your response twice as I couldn't understand what a 'squash dissident' is. And then, what was it about squash they didn't like and why squash was suddenly so important, as I thought Putin like judo. Then it clicked in. Which I'm slightly relieved and slightly disappointed about in equal measure.

No, any footballer with dementia can go on the list, regardless of age. Obviously there aren't many under 60, thankfully.

Nobody's too young. Sorry to hear this. I note in his Wiki profile that he suffered a number of head injuries in his career which improbably included Stockport County and Ayr United. Concussion syndrome forced him to retire in 1995....

Mickey Rupp, aged 87, has died. The second former Indy 500 starter to die this week. EDIT - died same day as Vukovich. https://racer.com/2023/08/23/mickey-rupp-1936-2023/

Bear in mind that modern media are too lazy to contact anyone for direct memories. They just nick it off Twitter. I've had two tributes published in the online version of a daily newspaper simply because I was one of the first to post a proper tribute to a racing driver on Twitter.

If my team is accepted: A Alpha Conde B Basil van Rooyen Died 14 Sep 2023 C Chuwit Kamolvisit D Daniel Bairenboim E Eddie Annand F Frank Borman Died 7th Nov 23 G George Eastham H Helen Stewart I Ian Wilmut Died 10 SEP 2023 J Jake Abraham Died 30 Sep 2023 K Kirsty Smitten Died 4 Oct 2023 L Linda Nolan M Marianne Faithfull N Nick Anderton O Nick Owen P Paul Auster Q Quentin Davies R Roberta Flack S Sally Shipard T Theo Burrow U Juan Carlos Unzue V Juha Vaatainen W Wilfred Benitez Z Zoleka Mandela Died 26 Sep 2023 X Xue Feng Y Cale Yarborough

Not really to be honest. A grassroots/club sort of hero for many like, say, Ian Flux, Dave Brodie, Gerry Marshall but not in the top-league of touring car drivers etc. I had heard of him, but only peripherally.

Gwyn Morgans, former Southport and Wrexham player, died last month - https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2023/july/rip--morgan-gwyn-morgans/ Mick Jakeman, ex-Leicester City, died 1st May 2023 - https://funeral-notices.co.uk/notice/jakeman/5122395

How low can you go?

Jim Cairney Wiki, died in summer 2018, in Canada - as per this notice from his son, in The Scottish Banner - https://www.scottishbanner.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/SB-4202-August-NA.pdf

Pescarolo had a stroke but otherwise he's been in alright health. I wouldnt rank him quite in the immortal ranks. For a man of his immense bulk who is approaching 90 years of age, I'm surprised AJ Foyt has not had more health challenges.

Charlie Twissell, Singapore-born footballer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Twissell - who served in the Royal Navy as a radar technician before joining Plymouth and then York City as a winger, died earlier this year. No online report, other than this probate: https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/search-results Last name First name Date of death ce Twissell Charles Herbert 18 January 2023 He turned professional in 1957 but was an amateur when he joined Plymouth. He had an extensive amateur career, gaining 5 caps for the England Amateur team and played for Great Britain in the 1956 Olympic Games. @Ulitzer95 and @Canadian Paul, FYI. He might have been the last surviving member of that team.

Hugman's footballers list a Swansea Town player called Bobby Hennings. Middle name Iva.http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/8790 Actually his name was Bobby Ira Henning and he died 17th March 2022 - https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/latest-death-memorium-notices-swansea-23557850

Jim Maguire, who played for Rochdale, Alloa, Brechin, Dumbarton and Queen of the South, is dead. According to Scotland's People, there is only one James Smith Maguire born between 1929 and 1932. Significantly, that man was born in Eaglesham, which matches his Wiki page, but is 2 years older than originally thought. @Ulitzer95 could you tidy this one up please? MAGUIRE JAMES SMITH M 1930 561 / 3 EAGLESHAM That man died in 2020 as per below: MAGUIRE JAMES SMITH 90 SMITH M 2020 649 / 306 BARRHEAD