Bertie Pearce
Bertie Pearce
1931 -2025
Bertie was born in Coventry in 1931. On leaving school at 14, he took an apprenticeship as a Pattern Maker in Coventry. In order to supplement his low salary as an apprentice, Bertie started to perform magic, making many of his own props. He became so good that he appeared on the local club circuit in the Midlands. On the completion of his apprenticeship, Bertie did his National Service before taking a full-time job as a pattern maker. He was a very keen cyclist in his younger days taking part in races and time trials, and thought nothing of going out at the weekend and cycling 100 miles. His love of cycling stayed with him for most of his life. He was also an active member of the scouting movement and was heavily involved in Gang Shows.
In the late 1950s, Bertie, along with a couple of friends, formed his own machine tool company called Woodcrafts – a company which still exists in Coventry today! After his retirement when he was 62, Bertie and Carole joined the Nuneaton Cycling Club. They proceeded to go on cycling trips all over the world – Ireland, New Zealand (where they spent 3 months cycling around both the North and South Islands), Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, France, Italy, Austria, Spain and Portugal – sometimes with their cycling club sometimes on their own. In addition to all these cycling trips, Bertie and Carole still managed to fit in lots of lovely family holidays.
They were also involved in musical theatre performing as members of the chorus in many performances in shows such as Oklahoma, at the Butts Theatre in Coventry. Carole and Bertie also were keen caravaners and went on many club rallies in France, Spain and Portugal.
In the 1970s, Bertie and Carole started to go to Home Counties Meets, where Bertie used to play his banjo in the band. Often, when asked to do a spot turn, Bertie would do various magic tricks.
Bertie and Carole also joined the local U3A ukulele band and were quickly put in charge of arranging all of the groups ‘gigs’.
When Bertie was 89, he suffered a major stroke. In typical Bertie ‘fashion’ he fought his way back to reasonably good health and was able to drive again and tow his caravan, but he and Carole stopped cycling. Following his illness and when Covid restrictions were relaxed, Bertie and Carole started to come to Midland meets on a regular basis and formed many new friendships.
Bob Small, the Treasurer of the Midland Folk Song and Dance Group, remembered his special friend Bertie as follows:
“I first met Bertie at the Folk Group sing around that was run by Gay on Zoom, during the Covid period. Bertie performed a song on his ukulele that evening.
I was really pleased to meet Carole and Bertie in person at Bodenham Arboretum. This was one of the first socially distanced meets we were allowed to run post Covid.
I immediately liked Bertie’s personality, his sense of humour and his outgoing style.
I was surprised and impressed to find Carole and Bertie were towing their caravan at Bertie’s advanced age.
I was delighted when Bertie approached Jeff and myself to accompany him on our guitars at a later meet. Jeff was MC that evening and introduced the act and so “Bertie and the fabulous Bertie boys” was born. One of our distinguishing features was our refusal to practice any of our material. Bertie would show us a song sheet about half an hour before we performed.
The act was further embellished by the addition of the Bertie Babes, who performed artistic dancing around us during the performance.
Jeff had told me that Bertie had been a performer for years and once had a magic act. Bertie’s previous performing experience came to the fore during the Bertie Boys performances, with Bertie captivating the audience with his jokes.
Gay has described my friendship with Bertie as a special relationship. Although it has been brief, it has been a delightful experience and Bertie has left me with memories that I will cherish.
Rest in Peace Bertie.”
Bertie was a wonderful man who will be sadly missed by Carole, their sons, daughters, 10 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, and also by his cycling friends, his friends from Home Counties and Midlands Folk Dance and Song Groups, members of the Nuneaton U3A Ukulele Group and many others who had the good fortune to know him.
RIP Bertie
Jeff Elmes
Secretary, Midlands Folk Song and Dance Group