In memoriam - Tony Lynch - Life Story

Francis Anthony Lynch was born 25 August, 1933 in Blakely, Manchester, to James and Kathleen Lynch. James was a fishmonger, and town councillor, who ran his business out of the Smithfield Market in north Manchester. Kathleen stayed at home and raised the boys. It was a traditional Manchester Catholic family upbringing. Tony was the oldest of three brothers, James and Paul.

Tony grew up in No 1209 Rochdale Road, Blakely, and attended St Bede’s Roman Catholic School for boys. He excelled at rugby and played at county level. Tony did his military service in the Royal Signals based out of Catterick Army camp. In those days he rode a triumph motor bike and enjoyed hill walking in the Lake District, socializing in the Young Conservatives and Young Farmers club. Tony dreamed of being a lawyer, but Latin was his stumbling block. So, after National Service, rather than go to University, he joined Marks and Spencer as a retail manager, working his way up to become a store manager.

During this time whilst working in Wigan in 1956 he met a young and attractive personnel manager by the name of Sandra Anna Greenhaugh. They had been acquaintances in the Young Farmers and Young Conservatives clubs, but romance blossomed on Wigan train station over a glass of Bass Carrington’s beer during their daily commute, in different directions, home to Manchester and Liverpool.

Despite the moving from store to store demanded by Marks and Spencer’s they stayed in travelling distance of each other, became engaged in Easter 1959 and married in June of the same year. They honeymooned in Yugoslavia, an unusual choice for those days.

In 1960, they were living Kingston, when their first son, David Dominic, was born. Kieron John was born 18 months later. Sandra gave up work and they moved to Manchester, and then to Lemington Spa and then to Luton. The constant travelling became less attractive.

In 1968, they decided to buy a rundown pub in the village of Ashwell, Hertfordshire. The pub was called the “Bushel and Strike”. Within 25 years they had built it into thriving business, serving good beer, exotic food and drawing customers from far and wide.

Father, in his heart was a retailer and a business man. He loved the idea of building the pub up and letting run efficiently. He though hard about staffing, sourcing suppliers, margins, return on investment, stock levels and wastage. He was precise, focused and methodical. He was good at it and he was successful. He was able to provide for his family, buy a nice house in the countryside and indulge a common love of good food, wine and travel with Sandy. Together they were an unbeatable team. Sandy provided the sparkle: Tony, a solid foundation.

In 1993 Sandy and Tony retired from the Bushel after 25 years of hard work. During their visit for Kieron and Caroline’s wedding in 1994 the idea to move to New Zealand came up. “One last great adventure” as they coined it. And so it was that they came to move eventually to New Zealand in 2001. The move was adventure for sure, and they settled in a beautiful house in the country at Ararimu with breathing taking views of the Hunua range.

Throughout this transition period Sandy struggled with cancer and Tony was her rock, caring for her during this time. He took over the kitchen. He was a good cook, precise, focused and methodical.

When Sandy passed on in November 2006 it was a shock to everybody. Tony carried on, keeping the house going and keeping contact with his grandchildren Rebekka Sigrun, Eirikur Anthony, Sandra Kristin and Stella Marcel and Georgia.

Afi Tony was a regular at Strathalen School events where he was an enthusiastic supporter of Stella and Georgia. In these years he travelled often to Europe and Iceland, visiting Rebekka, Eirikur and Sandra, passing on to them an appreciation of good food during visits to various restaurants. During these trips he renewed his acquaintance with a childhood friend Ms Bobbie Leigh, and they became companions.

Tony was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2009. He moved out of Ararimu to Karaka Summerset homes in 2015 and from there to a nursing facility in April 2019. He took the news with grace and stoicism. His focus was on approaching the disease methodically and with precision, working to manage the consequences and still get the most out of life. In the last days, that is what he did. Regular Friday night family suppers, the occasional glass of wine, oysters from Clevedon, skype calls to Iceland.

Known as a witty, charming and generous man, the very right honourable Francis Anthony Lynch remained so in the face of this grim disease. As he was heard to say on occasion “it´s not the Parkinson’s that´s going to get you” and it wasn´t.

Tony died peacefully in his sleep in 27 May 2019.