I knew Bernard, as a youngster, when I attended the Elim Church, the church then was a large hall, just off Clapham Park Road. The church was very good to us youngsters from the surrounding area, who attended Sunday School; the occasional coach trip to the seaside, Harvest Festival and Christmas was always special. Miss Harvey was my Sunday School teacher, very kind lady. We were delighted for Jeff when the new organ arrived (can still see the old organ in my mind and us girls behaving in a mischievous manner). There were a couple of small rooms at the back of the Church Hall, the one on right was where Bernard use to gather his group of young teenagers one night during the week after school - remember one summer evening we played rounders on Clapham Common.We all liked Bernard, his wife Joy and the 2 Cooper boys. I remember going into the new Elim Church, all newly painted and very smart with cinema push-up seats, very nice but I missed the atmosphere of the old hall. Our group was called, if I remember right, the Young Crusaders. My family moved when I was 16 and I lost touch. Have very fond memories of that period in my life. I now live in New Zealand.
Very odd how I came to visit this page, for some reason I was thinking of Bernard and googled him :)
God Bless
Ann Paton (née Morrison)
November 2016
---------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ann: I am the moderator for this Tribute page for Bernie Norris. I was a Crusader too, but during the mid-1960's. Bernie and Joy were great friends and my husband and I visit Joy in Hove whenever we travel back home from New Zealand. We live in Tauranga and my contact email is margaretmarsh@clear.net.nz - please do flick me an email if you can. You may know Barbara (nee Sewell) and Roger Arnold. We were in the Gospel Rhythm Group that Geoff Cooper ran. All best wishes: Margaret.