Del is 78 years old and from the East End, but recently moved down South. He’s wearing a shirt and T-shirt from M&S, braces from he can’t remember where and suit trousers from Priceless, a good word to define his style actually. “Today I’m just casual” says Del, “but if I was going out I’d be suited and booted. I used to be a teddy boy back in the day.” Del values friendships, is easy-going, sentimental, reliable and punctual. He sounds like a good friend. Del’s been married for 41 years and this weekend will be taking a trip down Memory Lane with the wife. He likes 40s and 50s music and Country and Western. When we asked Del what his hopes for the future were, this is what he said:
“To live as long as I can. The doctor says I’m a walking miracle. I’m already on my second pacemaker. I had 14 strokes one Christmas but we couldn’t get an ambulance to come out. We didn’t know I was having strokes, we just thought I was under the weather and my wife let me sleep it off. I was in Korea and they couldn’t kill me, I was in Kenya and they couldn’t kill me and I was in the Blitz and they couldn’t kill me. I’m going to live forever!”
Photography: Darren Hall
