Burch, Ivan – Grantham-born man who joined the Black Watch

Ivan Burch,  (1926-2014)

Ivan Stanley Burch born above a fish and chip shop on Grantley Street on February 15^th 1925.

He attended Spittlegate School, Launder Terrace, then lived at The Bricklayers Arms at the foot of Watergate,  where his parents were mine hosts. (The premises is now  BladeRunner  run by his grandson James Meadows) .

After leaving school, he served his time as a plumber. His parents move from the Bricklayers pub to the Wagon and Horses,  Manthorpe Road,

Ivan joined the Black Watch regiment in 1944, catching the train to Scotland, although he was being underage at 18 years old.

He was a D-Day veteran having landed on Sword beach. He then saw fighting in France,  Holland and Germany.

He was mention in dispatch’s twice. He was a Black Watch soldier through and through his comrade’s became friends and contacted until recently ,

He met Henny in 1946 during the occupation of Germany , and they married in late 1947

After demob, they made their home at Alma Park where Pamela was born, Working at Ransom and Marles at Newark . He  bought his first property in 1953 in Grantham, the start of his property portfolio.

He ultimately became a director and secretary of Castlegate Properties.

He was a founder member of Belton Pipe Band, and enjoyed playing the bagpipes.

Henny died in 2004 after 56 year of marriage; Ivan died on October 2014 at the age of 88.