To say I am devastated at the death of my longest standing friend is to make an understatement. I first met "Lew", (as his mates we knew him during Senior School and Rocker days), pre-school via one of his his cousins though we didn't really know each other till Senior School, even then we were part of a group of Earlsfield boys walking together to get to our school in Southfields. But, over time, we became best mates. Lew used to come on holiday with me and my parents. Later I worked with Lew at Zeta House, Putney, running the men's cloakroom (he had the job & I was the "extra" and we split the tips between us). As well as school we were Rockers together and for a while I was between motorcycles and relied on Lew for transport: I paid back by financing him into replacement motorcycles, all at very keen interest rates :-> . In later years he and his then girlfriend used to come out with my wife, Lyn, & I as a foursome to speedway and pub outings. Lew was also a friend of my parents and after Lyn & I came to NZ he still used to go and spend time with them. Although in recent years our friendship has been maintained by cyber contact we still remained close friends. We had a series of long running jokes which got weirder as time went on. My wife & I have been back to the UK three times and spending time with the Lewis-Lavenders was always a highlight for us. Life will never be the same without you mate.

Thank you for setting up this memorial to Vernon. We hope that you find it a positive experience developing the site and that it becomes a place of comfort and inspiration for you to visit whenever you want or need to.

I am I and you are you, whatever we were to each other that we still are. Speak to me in the easy way which you always used. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? Life means all that it ever meant, it is the same as it ever was.