Ronnie was born in Dundee in Scotland to Isabella and Joseph, but was brought up by foster parents, not knowing his full history until 2003, when he discovered his real parents had come from Gateshead and were Jewish. However all records were lost during the war. He left school at the age of 14 and went to work as a miner in 1938, working from 2-9 pm 7 days a week. When he was 16 ½ he enlisted in the Royal Navy – unbeknown to his foster parents and on D Day went with the rest of the navy to France where his craft was blown up by a mine in sight of the shore. He managed to swim to shore and eventually he was brought back to England. While he was in a transit camp in Westcliffe on Sea, he went to a Synagogue for the first time, and ‘felt at home at last’. He was transferred into the Army and was posted during the rest of the war to Bombay and ended up in Burma and then Singapore. While in the army he got involved in boxing, having an exhibition match with Freddie Mills (and lived to tell the tale), which was a great honour.
Following the war he married Helen in 1947 and jobs being difficult to come by he went back down the mines, where he suffered quite a few injuries, but he became a Foreman and was often called out to repair pit workings. Later he became a qualified Joiner/Carpenter and on moving to Caister he worked at the Dog Stadium as joiner/carpenter and worked there for 30 years. As a sideline he also became a wrestling referee which he worked at evenings and weekends.
On moving to Great Yarmouth, his first wife, Helen, died suddenly. He eventually became a member of the Progressive Synagogue in Norwich, but then moved to NHC where he began to learn Hebrew with Rev Mark Daniels, as well as with Paul Stein who helped him In 2003, he married Sylvia, the widow of Lucky Sinclair, also a friend of his at the NHC and they were very happy for nearly 11 years. His skills as a carpenter were given generously to the Synagogue as he made the book case in the Synagogue as well as other items, and also gave his services when any handyman work was needed. His cheerful Scottish accent is much missed in the community.
Sylvia Irvine and Maureen Leveton