A KEEN fisherman, who was a popular Father Christmas in the West Wight, has died after a long illness, aged 92.
Frank Ransom, of Freshwater, was in the civil service all of his working life before retiring to the Island with wife, Cecilia, and his family in 1987.
He was born in Stepney, East London, and, on leaving school, worked in the civil service bank department connected to the Post Office.
Mr Ransom was called up to serve in the Second World War, aged 18, and was drafted to a tank division based in Bovington, Dorset.
He was part of a small team which experimented in driving tanks, pushing the vehicles to the point of destruction, and also served with the regiment on the front in Europe.
After the war, he returned home and met his future wife, Cecilia, at a Catholic social club in Tooting, where he lived at the time.
He continued to work in the civil service, in the Home Office, travelling around the country looking for accommodation for members of the prison service.
He was a keen angler and member of the civil service’s angling club, often fishing on the Thames.
Mr Ransom and his family came to the Island when he retired in 1987. They became popular and hard-working members of St Saviour’s Church, Totland.
Over the years, Mr Ransom was Santa Claus at the St Saviour’s School Christmas party and at the Highdown Inn for its annual party for the elderly. He was also a keen wine maker, with elderberry his speciality.
For 30 years, he was a member of the IW Circle of The Catenians, a worldwide group of Catholic laymen who enjoy each other’s company and raise money for a variety of charities.
He is survived by his wife, children Mary, John, Peter, Tom, Bill and Kate as well as grandchildren Alex, Elizabeth, James and Niamh.
His funeral service will be held at St Saviour’s Church, Totland, on Saturday, September 16, at 2pm followed by burial.