Sister's loving tribute to '˜aerial man' brother Sid

The aerial installator for more than 55 years died at Royal Preston Hospital (RPH) on Monday, following a seven year battle with Alzheimer’s disease, and his sister Margaret Farrow says she doesn’t think she will ever get over his death.

The pair lived together on Newton Road in Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, since moving from Rochdale in 1950 and with neither marrying or having any children, Margaret says they were always “very close”.

“He was always so very kind and considerate,” she said. “Everyone always said what a lovely man he was too. He was known by everyone as the aerial man and always said he’d been on every roof in Preston and I believed him because he had been doing it for so long.

“He loved a pint too and his main hobby was clay pigeon shooting, I always thought he was an excellent shot.”

Sid began working at Bateman’s Electrical Shop in Friargate but had dreams of self-employment and so set up S Farrow Aerial Installations in 1955, installing aerials across Preston at a time televisions were scarce.

“It became a huge success,” said Margaret. “He was never afraid of heights and would go up in all weathers.”

Sid continued his business until he was diagnosed with Alzeimer’s and retired in 2009.

He then moved Greenfield Residential and Nursing Home in Ingol before being moved to RPH. He died aged 82.

Margaret said: “I feel like I’ve been losing him for six years and it’s been destroying me. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it but I’ll have to try.”

Sid’s funeral will be at Ashton Methodist Church on a to-be-confirmed September date.