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Tony Swainson obituary Tony Swainson obituary
(4 months later)
My brother, Tony Swainson, has died of cancer aged 71. His love of fishing and language, and his eye for detail and quirky sense of humour, led to his book Tangled Lines becoming a favourite among the angling fraternity. Published in 2011, the book is full of tales of fish caught, fish lost and the inevitable exaggerations.My brother, Tony Swainson, has died of cancer aged 71. His love of fishing and language, and his eye for detail and quirky sense of humour, led to his book Tangled Lines becoming a favourite among the angling fraternity. Published in 2011, the book is full of tales of fish caught, fish lost and the inevitable exaggerations.
There is a huge gap in life experiences when you are 10 and your brother is 20 – we really had very little in common – but as we got older that gap narrowed. By the time I was at grammar school, Tony had already set off on his travels. He was born in Denton, a suburb of Manchester, where he began an apprenticeship in tool-making at the age of 15. He loved to travel and became a "£10 Pom", travelling to Australia in 1964.There is a huge gap in life experiences when you are 10 and your brother is 20 – we really had very little in common – but as we got older that gap narrowed. By the time I was at grammar school, Tony had already set off on his travels. He was born in Denton, a suburb of Manchester, where he began an apprenticeship in tool-making at the age of 15. He loved to travel and became a "£10 Pom", travelling to Australia in 1964.
In 1970 Tony returned from New Zealand with his wife, Ros, whom he had married in the previous year. They rented a strange house in Gorton that had snail trails in the lounge and a headstone in the corner of the living room. This was when Tony was working as a mechanical engineer at the Shirley Institute in Didsbury and Ros was a nurse at St Mary's hospital in Manchester.In 1970 Tony returned from New Zealand with his wife, Ros, whom he had married in the previous year. They rented a strange house in Gorton that had snail trails in the lounge and a headstone in the corner of the living room. This was when Tony was working as a mechanical engineer at the Shirley Institute in Didsbury and Ros was a nurse at St Mary's hospital in Manchester.
They returned to New Zealand in 1972 and settled in Wairakei, where he worked in the geothermal power station. He fished in the Tongariro river and the beautiful Lake Taupo. Tony loved the outdoors and home-smoked fresh-caught trout.They returned to New Zealand in 1972 and settled in Wairakei, where he worked in the geothermal power station. He fished in the Tongariro river and the beautiful Lake Taupo. Tony loved the outdoors and home-smoked fresh-caught trout.
He was delighted to be featured in the Guardian's Good to Meet You section in 2008. For many years, I used to parcel up the Saturday Guardian and send it to him in Wairakei every week. The people at the post office asked why he didn't read it online, but he loved the printed paper and once he had read it, it was passed around the village. He shared it with the teachers at the local primary school where he and Ros were voluntary helpers.He was delighted to be featured in the Guardian's Good to Meet You section in 2008. For many years, I used to parcel up the Saturday Guardian and send it to him in Wairakei every week. The people at the post office asked why he didn't read it online, but he loved the printed paper and once he had read it, it was passed around the village. He shared it with the teachers at the local primary school where he and Ros were voluntary helpers.
Diagnosed with cancer 12 years ago, he lived with style and exuberance. His life was remembered in the school hall at Wairakei; a feathered cloak and a Maori club were put on his coffin as a symbol of high esteem. It was a fitting end for a man well-loved and a life well travelled.Diagnosed with cancer 12 years ago, he lived with style and exuberance. His life was remembered in the school hall at Wairakei; a feathered cloak and a Maori club were put on his coffin as a symbol of high esteem. It was a fitting end for a man well-loved and a life well travelled.
He is survived by Ros; their children, Ian and Fiona; grandchildren, Anna, Zhara and Kade; and me.He is survived by Ros; their children, Ian and Fiona; grandchildren, Anna, Zhara and Kade; and me.
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