ERNEST JAMES KEATING

Ernest James Keating was born on 16 June 1924 in Canning Town.  His mother Alice met and married Jim, Ernie’s father, after losing her first husband in the Great War.  Ernie was born into an existing family of two half sisters and four half brothers.  His mother had one more child, a daughter, Iris, who sadly died in infancy.  The family continued living in Canning Town until their house was bombed in the Second World War causing them to relocate to Muswell Hill. 

 

As a young man Ernie was apprenticed to the fur trade in the East End and then moved on to work in the upholstery trade.  The Second World War meant that his life took a dramatic turn and he joined the Grenadier Guards.  This played such an important part in his life.  He met, what was to become one of his closest friends, Arthur Garrett.  Arthur’s wife Lil was a cousin of Alice (known as Cis) and within the friendship a romance blossomed and Ernie married Cis in the summer of 1950.

 

They set up home in Dalston where Cis lived with her mother and father and Ernie found work in the building trade.  Their first son Ken was born in 1952 and Derek, their second son, arrived in 1960.   After 37 years of living in Cecilia Road they moved to Broxbourne to enjoy Ernie’s retirement.

 

Ernie was very practical and because of this was always helping family and friends in any way he could.  He would think nothing of doing a day’s work and then spend his free time helping others.  In his youth Ernie was a keen sportsman and West Ham fan; but with gentle persuasion from Arthur and cousin Tom, his allegiance changed (some might say, he came to his senses) and he became a keen follower of Arsenal Football Club.

 

Ernie was a strong family man.  Cis did not enjoy good health in the last 20 years of her life and Ernie was a great support in her struggle with arthritis.  Ernie was very proud of his four grandchildren: Paul, Karen, Lauren and Alex and took great pleasure in spending time with them and his daughters in law, Gail and Denise.

 

Cis passed away in 1996 and Ernie continued to live in Broxbourne until his failing health meant that he needed a little more help.  He set up home in Ramsbury near Ken and Gail and continued to enjoy living independently until the last 8 weeks of his life.

 

Ernie was much loved by all who new him and will be greatly missed and fondly remembered.