Norman Thomas Noall Eulogy Tom, or Norman as he was known to his family and friends in Cornwall and the Netherlands, was born in St Ives in September 1950. He grew up together with his sister Janet in a modest terraced house with his loving parents Mary and John. Tom attended the local primary school just across the road and was a member of the Methodist Fisherman's Chapel down on the harbourside. His cousins Vivian and Alan lived next door and his close relationship with Alan continued throughout, with Tom regarding him as more of a brother than the cousin next door.  Tom attended the Humphrey Davy Grammar School in Penzance. This was followed by the London School of Economics where he gained his Bachelor’s degree, and after a year living in Holland, then gained his Master’s degree in Town and Country Planning from the University of Aston in Birmingham. He began work in North Devon before moving to Taunton Deane as a senior planning officer. He later became Chief Planning Officer and Head Of Development. Tom retired in 2007 and enjoyed a long and happy retirement.  He had many passions in life. Firstly, his family, in this country and in the Netherlands. He met his beloved wife Mauritse 50 years ago and has been married to her for 47 years. It was an inauspicious start. On Tom’s first day back from university at the end of his first year, he spent the whole day lying on the beach getting badly sunburnt (as an experienced beach bum and surfer, he really should have known better!!!). That evening he met a friend, also just back from College, who suggested they go to the local disco, Mr Peggotty’s. Tom felt unwell but reluctantly agreed to go. It was hot and crowded in the disco and he wished to go home. He wanted to know what the time was. He was sat between two attractive young ladies. The girl on his left had stunning long blond hair and looked foreign and so he asked her “Excuse me, can you tell me the time please?”. A conversation struck up and Tom gained the impression the girl was Danish. He had recently been to Copenhagen and thought he would impress her with his knowledge. Mauritse looked at him, and said “I have never been to Denmark, I am Dutch”, and later confessed “That was the worse chat-up line I have ever heard”. They laughed about it and Tom stayed with her at the disco and then walked her home to the little hamlet of Towednack, on the moors about two miles out of town. The next morning Tom was in the local Cottage Hospital with severe sunburn to his chest. But the match had been lit and they remained together till Tom’s dying day. Tom and Mauritse have three loving children Demelza, Jonathan and Hannah who have supported them throughout. Each have families of their own gifting six loving grandchildren: Toby, Liv, Luca, Finn, Henry and Merryn. A close-knit family spending much time and many holidays together here and in the Netherlands.  Tom’s second passion has been his love of the countryside, conservation and bird watching, shared with many special friends. Also countryside walking, especially with the annual ‘May Walkers’ (going for about 40 years!) and the monthly ‘Golden Oldies’ (going for about 10 years). Tom’s love of bird watching went back to childhood when he and his friends would ride on the local steam branch line to visit to the Lelant Saltings, now an RSPB reserve. The boys would take their little ‘I-spy Book of Birds’ and tally up the day's scores.  His third passion was the Netherlands with its beautiful towns, watery landscapes and friendly people. It was there that Tom learned to speak his basic and often amusing version of Dutch. Put to good use whenever he met Dutch people visiting this country, not least in The Gunners Pub near the Arsenal stadium with visiting Dutch fans. Which takes us to his fourth passion, Arsenal FC, who he has supported since 1968.  A passion that is shared by his son Jonathan and grandson Henry. I am pleased to say that Tom experienced many more highs than lows in his many visits to the Arsenal Stadium. Tom was an engaging and passionate person always willing to share in his many interests, from gardening to birdwatching, from Cornish heritage to mountain trails. He had a great sense of humour, passed down to his three children, and had a talent for telling great stories and jokes. He will be greatly missed but remembered fondly by all who knew him. As his grandson Luca put it in a recent letter to Granddad, “You’re so kind-hearted, loving, friendly, nice, funny, caring and gentle. And that’s why you’re the best granddad ever.”