- Joined
- Jul 17, 2005
- Messages
- 2,940
This is not an easy post for me to write to fellow knifemakers on Bladeforums.
For those of you that know Canadian knifemaker George Tichbourne and his wife Carol, I have been asked by our friend AJ, on Carol's behalf to post here. I have to say because of pressure of work and other real life commitments, I can't remember the last time I did post on Bladeforums, but it was a long time ago, January in fact. My knifemaker status expired, so I had to renew it last night, so I could post here to Around the Grinder today. Thanks Spark for the quick processing/
George and Carol gave me an unpaid job in November 2006 as I was awaiting my Canadian residency. However the lack of a wage was immaterial as George became my knifemaking mentor and over the following 12 months he taught me everything he knew without reservation. No secrets, everything he knew, but of course, the skill of a true knifemaking artisan with 25 years under his belt was a hard act to follow. I loved the 'job' which was indeed a joyful experience. I even loved and took pride in sweeping the floor and dusting the stock!
About a month ago, Carol phoned me on a Sunday night and left a message to phone her back. George has an agressive form of Leukemia and was expected to last only a few days to a week. The last time I saw him I thought he looked a funny colour, and intended to tell Carol about it, but under a different lamp in the workshop, I thought I had made a mistake. Carol has been very strong and George and her had talked about death, and I already knew that George was pleased he had outlived some of his family. It still came as a great shock to know that my friend and mentor was not expected to live very long.
Hope came with blood transfusions and an experimental form of chemotherapy at the best cancer hospital in Toronto, however George became a guinea pig and I guess the side effects were not balanced by the gains.
George has now left hospital and is at home in familiar surrounding to end his days, which I am led to believe could be as little as a couple of days. He is helped by hospice care via daily visits and a pump to administer pain drugs.
Please keep George in your prayers and thoughts for an easy passing, and in the longer term, your thoughts for Carol who will lose her soulmate and business partner.
Not sure what else to say, but the last few weeks have been so very sad and tearful.
Andrew, on behalf of George's friends of the 'Alternate Tuesday Night Knifemakers Coffee Night Club'. AJ Spyderco, Brian the filer, Peter the teacher, Dave the forger, Frank (CTV), Boris the jeweller, Andrew (Vancouver) and Chris the cop.
For those of you that know Canadian knifemaker George Tichbourne and his wife Carol, I have been asked by our friend AJ, on Carol's behalf to post here. I have to say because of pressure of work and other real life commitments, I can't remember the last time I did post on Bladeforums, but it was a long time ago, January in fact. My knifemaker status expired, so I had to renew it last night, so I could post here to Around the Grinder today. Thanks Spark for the quick processing/
George and Carol gave me an unpaid job in November 2006 as I was awaiting my Canadian residency. However the lack of a wage was immaterial as George became my knifemaking mentor and over the following 12 months he taught me everything he knew without reservation. No secrets, everything he knew, but of course, the skill of a true knifemaking artisan with 25 years under his belt was a hard act to follow. I loved the 'job' which was indeed a joyful experience. I even loved and took pride in sweeping the floor and dusting the stock!
About a month ago, Carol phoned me on a Sunday night and left a message to phone her back. George has an agressive form of Leukemia and was expected to last only a few days to a week. The last time I saw him I thought he looked a funny colour, and intended to tell Carol about it, but under a different lamp in the workshop, I thought I had made a mistake. Carol has been very strong and George and her had talked about death, and I already knew that George was pleased he had outlived some of his family. It still came as a great shock to know that my friend and mentor was not expected to live very long.
Hope came with blood transfusions and an experimental form of chemotherapy at the best cancer hospital in Toronto, however George became a guinea pig and I guess the side effects were not balanced by the gains.
George has now left hospital and is at home in familiar surrounding to end his days, which I am led to believe could be as little as a couple of days. He is helped by hospice care via daily visits and a pump to administer pain drugs.
Please keep George in your prayers and thoughts for an easy passing, and in the longer term, your thoughts for Carol who will lose her soulmate and business partner.
Not sure what else to say, but the last few weeks have been so very sad and tearful.
Andrew, on behalf of George's friends of the 'Alternate Tuesday Night Knifemakers Coffee Night Club'. AJ Spyderco, Brian the filer, Peter the teacher, Dave the forger, Frank (CTV), Boris the jeweller, Andrew (Vancouver) and Chris the cop.
