HUMANS OF FROME: Ciara Nolan meets Alfie King

“In 1948 Alfie was posted to Hong Kong, this was the point at which his life took a very definite turn for the better,” says Ciara.

Born in London, Alfie remembers little of his parents, apart from a difficult memory of his Father who he recalls was a pretty tough man who worked on the docks. He and his brother, Henry,   lived what he called an ‘Oliver Twist’ existence with the pair spending most of their young lives in orphanages.

“In his early 20’s when stationed in Hong Kong, he received a ‘Dear John’ letter from his then girlfriend of three years. He explains that the letter was a crushing blow but it was just one of the many that young soldiers received back then, he says that they dealt with them by pinning them to a dartboard which, let’s face it, was probably the best kind of therapy available to soldiers that far away from home. He didn’t realise back then that this particular letter was just the beginning of a very important series of written correspondences in his life.

“Having lost contact with his beloved younger brother 10 years earlier, and with no other family to turn to Alfie had never felt so alone in the world – enter the gloriously named Miss Mitten his new pen pal from a small town in Somerset which he had never heard of before.

“Enid was the youngest of a Frome family of 15,  a closely knit, loving family who although cramped in a terraced house in town were bursting at the seams with love and care for one another and with hearts big enough for others too as the future would attest.

“For two years Alfie and Enid wrote to each other most times twice a day. Miss Mitten sent photos, two of which Alfie still carries in his wallet today.  He sent silk stockings, pretty blouses and in time an engagement ring.  Enid accepted his proposal although they had never met, but as her own diary  confirms she knew he was ‘the’ man for her.   Alfie in turn had fallen in love with his Miss Mitten, her beauty transcending everything to reach his heart all those thousands of miles away.

“On October 6th 1952 Miss Mitten became Mrs King just four weeks after they had met in person for the first time. Alfie explains how there were many cynics around them who didn’t believe that their short engagement would last the distance, fast forward 61 years and Alfie and Enid were still walking to the shops arm in arm and delighting in their very happy marriage.

“Alfie was posted out to Suez in 1956 but he managed to persuade his superiors to get him a home posting in Warminster.  Every day he would leave work and rush to the bottom of Stony Street where he would collect his beautiful young wife after her working day at the big Haberdashery there (now Barclay’s Bank).

“In 1954, Alfie found an old diary in which he had a past address for his brother Henry. He wrote to the landlady who happily told him that Henry had just become engaged to be married to her daughter. A happy reunion saw Alfie appear as Best Man at his brother’s wedding, something that he never thought would happen and they kept in touch ever since.

“Enid died in 2012 following a seven year period where Alfie cared for her at home, a period of time which was hard but he says he would do it all again if he had to, he’d do anything for his Enid. His brother died six months later but he had lived a wonderful life and there is nothing more Alfie could have wished for him.

“Tuesday 31st May is Alfie’s birthday. When I asked him how old he would be he laughed and said, ‘21 and a few more years! But to be honest when you get to my age (90) you’ve got to treat every day like its your birthday.’

“Having sat and chatted with this extraordinary man, who had been suggested to me as a ‘Human of Frome’ by no less than six people, I have no doubt that he has lived by that ‘every day being his birthday’ rule all his life…well certainly since a certain Miss Mitten turned his world upside down.

“Alfie would like to mention his amazing niece and nephew Chris and Steph who look after him so well, and his neighbours Guy, Kath, Debbie, Kate and Roly who look in from time to time. He also mentioned that although he can’t get out much these days he is always delighted to see old friends, so if anyone wants to get in touch please contact Ciara through Humans Of Frome or through Frome Times. Happy birthday Alfie!”

• Come check out the Humans Of Frome exhibition at The Silk Mill Gallery, running throughout the Frome Festival with a launch event on June 30th.