Gerald Giles founder dies

One of Norfolk's leading independent electrical retailers, Gerald Giles, who was also a voice of Norwich City FC, has died aged 83.

His family business, founded in 1948 in the post-war austerity years, still thrives on twin values of personal service and progress.

Born in Thorpe St Andrew, he left school at 14 and worked for his father, who had a public address system business, installing equip-ment at dance halls and stadia across the country. His customers included Norwich Speedway and Norwich City Football Club, which led to his role as an announcer at Carrow Road for some years from the late 1940s.

He met his wife, Diana, at football and again after he had been working as an announcer at the Samson and Hercules, Norwich, where he was looking after the PA system. They married in 1947.

He had always been quick to identify trends and started his own business selling and fitting fluorescent light fittings to shops and factories. By scrimping and saving for two years, he was able to buy a radio repair business at 3, Rose Lane, Norwich, for £200.

Then he moved into the sale of radios, and the boom really began in 1955 with the advent of good TV reception via the Talcolneston transmitter. He developed television rental, service and repairs and, as the business grew, he moved to a new showroom further up Rose Lane on October 1, 1968 - complete with 50ft long main display window. In that same year, he predicted that automatic dish washers - he was first in the field in the city to sell a full range - would be common in every home. And in 1976, he said that fitted kitchens would be in every home in 20 years - hence the need for built-in appliances.

Always an enthusiast for progress, he was one of the first to become a Sony distributor 40 years ago.

He was the driving force of a regional independent buying group of electrical retailers about 20 years ago. The group, CNS, (Cambridge-shire, Norfolk and Suffolk) supplies about 60 shops.

A City fan, he was a season ticket holder with his wife and they had seats just below the directors' box.

Although his son Paul now runs the family business, which moved to new premises in Ber Street about 18 months ago, he remained a partner.

He was suddenly taken ill and died peacefully the next day at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital.

He leaves a widow, Diana, two children and four grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at St Edmund's Church, Caistor St Edmund, on Tuesday, September 2, (2pm).

Courtesy of EDP

27 August 2008