Cath Noyes

When Chris left us so suddenly in August 2006 we were all left with an emptiness in our lives and a sadness in our hearts, but when I think of Chris and our memories together I can't help but smile and laugh.

I knew of Chris' reputation before I even knew the man (or boy as he was then.) I was two school years ahead of Chris and knew of his musical talent before I really knew him. We sat through politics lessons together where he was affectionately known by the teacher, Mr Shutt, as the one who sang Lady In Red following his most recent rendition at the Eisteddfod. He appeared in all school concerts and productions in some role or another.

I really started to get to know Chris (and Jaime) better when we worked together on a Play Scheme in 1990 during the summer break from university. He was my boss! We had such a good time that year during work and socially. There were many drunken nights, which often ended up in a singsong session back at Kay and Barrie's.

I have many funny memories of that year (and in fact subsequent years working on the same scheme) but one of my fondest memories was when Chris, in true Caswell style, decided for the last day of the scheme we would form a band! Being the only member of the team with no musical talent whatsoever, but keen not to be left out, Chris set me up with a mic that wasn't plugged in. I acted as a backing singer (miming my way through) for the whole performance and all was going well until Chris invited one of the local singing stars up to join us on stage for our last number! He came to share my mic and I had to confess that I wan't plugged in! The following year the theme developed and they gave me an unplugged keyboard - not even the kids fell for that one!

Chris was a social animal, he liked nothing better than sitting around a table with a pint, remembering days and events of the past. He had two sides, he would laugh helplessly when recalling stories but he would also be our social conscience and look at us disapprovingly if we over stepped the mark - of course this would make us laugh even more.

For Chris, family life was key and family time was important and shouldn't be interrupted. It seems apt that his last few days were spent building happy memories with Jaime.

Chris you were a star in every sense. In our hearts always and forever in our heads.

Janice Hayward

Where do you begin when talking of memories of Chris.Twelve years of laughter and the happiness he gave us couldn't possibly be captured on a page. Never a week has gone by when one of us hasn't started a sentence with the line "do you remember when?" and every time the line was spoken it never once resulted in anything but a funny story. Even on the rare occasion he was angry at something or someone, you couldn't help but laugh, because he just couldn't carry it off.

How we used to wind him up at his legendary quizzes, to the point where he would throw his pen in the air and say "that's it, I'm not doing it" and walk out only to return to us all laughing and begging him to continue.

We spent nearly every Christmas with him at Mill Rythe apart from five years ago when we stayed at home. A Christmas without Chris wouldn't have been the same, so we invited him and Paul to join us. We had a wonderful day and after the bottle of port he decided that he wasn't going back to work that night as he was having too much fun. As always though his professionalism kicked in and we waved him off in a very happy state.

He kept a very watchful eye on Felicity, Stephanie and Eleanor in Hudsons and woe betide if any male came near them.

From when the girls were small he would say "I'm going to play the piano at their weddings which will be my gift to them". Felicity is getting married on 30th June 2007 in a manor house where there is a grand piano. No one will play it, but we will all raise our glasses around it and drink to our piano man cos we know in our hearts that he will be there with us.

Steve Littlewood

I knew Chris as the resident guitarist on the Ocean Village cruise ship. I work on the ship from time to time as a Freddie Mercury tribute act. I didn't know Chris very long but I took an instant liking to him. He was a very genuine, generous and kind man with a great sense of humour. In all my time working on the ship, I never heard a bad word said about him. That was Chris, everybody loved him.

Billy Nutt

I had the enormous pleasure of knowing Chris for about ten years. I knew him as an excellent musician, composer and show writer as well an all round entertainer who could back anyone at the drop of a hat. He was a wonderful warm man with a 'what you see is what you get' quality. I also had the honour of knowing Chris as a dear friend. We had many a pint and a laugh together at Mill Rythe and the Isle of Wight. We shared many an evening doing what we both enjoyed, getting drunk. Mind you for a small guy, I never knew anyone who could put away a pint of bitter like Chris.

He is always in my thoughts and I'm glad to say he was one person that enriched my life by knowing him. Of course he will be missed by many, and I'm just another one who does as well but I'm sure wherever he is he's got a pint in his hand and a cigarette on the go and is looking down on all his friends. God bless and keep you Chris.

website published and maintained by Paul Wagstaffe. paul@paulwagstaffe.co.uk