|
Ex-Chairman Jack Russell dies… |
||
|
Former ODRTS Chairman Jack
Russell, who turned 94 in early September, was recently taken
ill at his residential care home and rushed into Northwick Park
hospital. Sadly he passed away on the afternoon of Tuesday 25
November. It was in 2002 at the tender age (for him) of 88 that he was admitted into St Mary’s hospital, Paddington for a double heart by-pass operation. When Call Sign spoke to Jack soon after, he told us that the double had turned into a triple "as I was there anyway!" But Jack was more irritated that the by-pass would stop him driving temporarily! |
 Then at the age of 92, he was admitted into hospital again for a knee replacement operation and while there, caught the superbug MRSA. Speaking to Call Sign again after being discharged, he queried whether they couldn’t find "…a more pleasant way to polish me off!" Then last year, Barbara, Jack’s partner for what he described as thirty wonderful years, passed |
away. Yet Jack again bounced
back from that tragic event in his life and moved from his home
into residential care and when Call Sign paid him
a visit, he looked very well. Speaking to Jack’s daughter Joyce, she told us that even at 94 Jack was still fighting – and up to the last minute, was still reading Call Sign in his hospital bed! Jack was Chairman from 1964 when he took over from Eli Solomons, until standing down in 1969 and handing the reins over to Jack Taylor. Our sincere sympathies to all Jack’s family. |
|
WESTMINSTER CALLTAKER IRENE RETIRES |
|
| Call
Sign readers will remember our
story about 100-year old Eileen Pattison – Goddaughter of
Hollywood legend Fred Astaire - who as a regular Westminster
TaxiCard holder wanted to visit Dial-a-Cab House. The main reason was to finally meet the voice she had spoken to so many times when ordering using her TaxiCard, Irene Russ, who was in charge of day shift Westminster trips in the Call Centre. Now Irene has finally decided that after more than 20 years with DaC, the time had come to hang up her headset and retire. Irene joined Dial-a-Cab on 25 February 1988 and was always very popular with other Calltakers. Carol Chart, who is the Account Manager for the Westminster TaxiCard, told Call Sign: "Irene was a valued member of Dial-a-Cab's TaxiCard Team. Having worked closely with her over a number of years, her experience and |
 Saying goodbye to Irene after 20 years with DaC L-R John Rogers, Howard Pears, Irene Russ, Brian Rice and Keith Cain Cover pic: Goodbye with a drink!
knowledge was without a
doubt invaluable. I know that she will be missed by many of the
Westminster TaxiCard holders whom she spoke with regularly. I
would like to take the opportunity to wish Irene all the best in
her retirement." |
|
ISLINGTON NO TO MAYOR’S MOTORBIKE RULING! |
|
| Lib
Dem-controlled Islington Council is threatening a showdown with
London Mayor and keen cyclist, Boris Johnson, over plans to
allow motorcyclists in bus lanes.
Motorcyclists will be able to share bus lanes in London with
buses, cyclists and licensed taxis from January during an
18-month trial period. But Islington Council refuses to
co-operate with the plans. John Foster, Council Chief Executive, is warning Mr Johnson of the harm that could be done if TfL allow motorcycles in bus lanes and has said that if TfL go ahead and allow motorbikes to use their bus lanes, Islington will still refuse them entry. Andrew Cornwell, a cyclist and councillor in Islington, says: "One reason cycling has risen so rapidly in recent years is the creation by TfL of an expanded network of bus lanes. While standards of bus driving still need to improve, in essence bus lanes create a relatively protected space for cyclists on main roads." |
 |
Powered by NetXPosure |
| Copyright 1997-2008 Dial-A-Cab Ltd, All rights reserved. |