Sir: It was an afternoon of surprises for Mr. Alf Kemsley. Four of his staff members, Debbie Brooks, Tom Kemsley, Maggie McGregor and Gayle Cumming surprised Mr. Kemsley at the St. Andrews Residence in Chatham recently.
Mr. K (as he was lovingly called) hadn’t seen some of his old staff for more than 30 years, and on this day it was a beautiful reunion. They all reminisced about the great times they had, including all the water fights and all the practical jokes that were played on each other, what one forgot the other remembered; but we all remembered when Mr. K put an artificial spider on Nancy’s desk and she was screaming but she soon retaliated by cutting off his tie.
Alf and his brother Syd fought in England during the Second World War and that is where Alf met and married Joan, the love of his life. After five years, he brought his war bride home to Chatham, and Alf and Syd took over their parents’ flower shop The Rosery Florist at 201 King St. W.
In 1956, Alf and Syd divided the business as the business grew and Syd moved to Grand Avenue West.
Joan and Alf ran the flower shop from 1956 to 1981 when his son Tom and wife Nancy took over the family tradition and later Tom returned to being an aircraft engineer. Alf’s other son Rodger and his wife Jane were the owners of the Gift Cabin in Chatham.
“Working for Joan and Alf has had a big impact of my life,” Debbie said. She is now a Floral Artist and Master Designer at Syd Kemsley Florist in Chatham. And a Master Designer for Ontario. Debbie also works at The Birdies Nest in Chatham and her designs are exquisite.
Maggie McGregor said it was her very first job working at The Rosery. Maggie said that she went up and down King Street applying for job right out of high school and Mrs. Kemsley hired her on the spot.
Maggie had opened up two flower shops – one in Ridgetown and later on one in Ingersoll. Maggie now owns Fine Line Painting in Ingersoll.
As for myself (Gayle), Mr. and Mrs. K hired me in the late 1970s and it was a joy to go into work each day. The laughter was infectious. I remember Mrs. Kemsley gave me one of her coats since I didn’t have a nice one, and gave my girls stuffed animals, plus so much more.
My girls still talk about The Rosery Florist and the beautiful aroma that came from the huge fridge. I eventually opened my own business in London, a beautiful angel store and I still make arrangements out of my home.
Mr. and Mrs. Kemsley treated us all like family, which is unheard of nowadays.
Well, Mr. K, you can now see what we all accomplished because we worked with you. You had such a great influence on all of us and the world is a much better place because Mr. and Mrs. Kemsley were in it.
You are our version of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Thanks for the memories.
Gayle Cumming
London
