Mr Tudor David Radcliffe.
WELL-known Newport businessman Tudor David Radcliffe has died, peacefully, at St Mary’s Hospital, aged 81.
Tudor David Radcliffe, known as Dave, was born in Port Talbot, South Wales, in 1928.
He met his first wife Pam when they were both in the army. They came to the Island in 1947, where Pam was born.
He worked on the railway for a short time, then for Reg Wells, a fruit and vegetable wholesale business. It was during this time a bet was made to carry a one hundredweight sack of potatoes on his back from Pyle Street in Newport to the Waverley pub in Carisbrooke, without stopping or putting them down.
He won the bet, racing against another contender, and won £10 — a large sum in those days.
Mr Radcliffe, who lived in Blackwater, soon built up his own fruit and vegetable business, starting with a stall on Sandown seafront, then to owning shops and a wholesale unit.
He also farmed many acres of land, growing potatoes and other produce. He then expanded into owning some of the Island’s best known nightclubs, including the Eastcliff Club at Shanklin, Ryde’s La Babalu and Carousel clubs, the Coconut Grove, Ventnor, and the Clarendon, Shanklin.
He also owned other land and properties on the Island.
His wife tragically died from cancer, aged 37, and later his daughter, Trudie, died from the same disease, aged 40.
Mr Radcliffe began to suffer ill health in 1994, which caused his semi-retirement.
In his last few years he enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening and meeting his friends at Rookley’s Chequers Inn.
Mr Radcliffe was married a second time and leaves his wife, Mavis, and surviving children, Glynis, David, Tudor and Stephen, 14 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
His funeral service took place yesterday (Thursday) at St George’s Church, Arreton.
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