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Yves-Aurele Lamy

27 October 1927   -    11 September 2009

His-Story

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Aurèle was born in Rodrigues, one of seven children.  His father, Marius Lucien Alexandre Lamy was a police constable before becoming the harbour master.  His mother, Marie Lydie, née Levèque was a homemaker. 
 
Aurèle joined the military as a young lad and became a non-commissioned officer rising up the ranks to sergeant.  He was sent to the Middle East where he was posted at the Suez Canal Zone in Egypt.  He and his men endured a harsh climate and sometimes attacks from the nationalist. It was during his military career that his love of cooking and eating corn beef hash began.

After he left the army things moved at a gallop.  He entered the police force where he was proud to escort the African Rifles to and from their training ground and guided them around the island.  They liked his friendly open demeanour and taught him Swahili and the song ‘Congo Safari’ which became one of his party tricks. 

 
He married Gladys Marie Walter and started a family.  After their two girls (Marie-Claire and Myléne) were born, they now longed for a boy, so when Gladys fell pregnant they had all the baby clothes embroidered with the boy-to-be initials, H. M. L. in anticipation.  In 1958 they welcomed their much awaited son, Henri Marc-Aurèle Lamy.  
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Until 1968 Mauritius was a British Crown Colony.  In the wake of independence, the star and pearl of the Indian Ocean had become a burden with sugar as the sole economy and high unemployment.  This led to growing disenchantment of the usually harmonious multi-racial people and many looked to the UK, France, Belgium, Australia and Canada with a view to emigrate. 

As a civil servant, Aurèle was offered the chance to go to England on the luxurious French liner, ‘La Bourdonnais.’ 

 
Yves, (in his later years he preferred to use his first name) was the epitome of a millennial dad before that word came into being.  Committed, resourceful, hands-on.  He found the balance between work and home life, the balance between provide and being there, once holding down three jobs to maintain a comfortable life for his family.

It wasn’t always hunky dory, he faced unique pressures.  Mauritius followed the French system of education which was not recognised in England.  Nose to the grindstone, he held down two jobs while attending evening classes.  Gladys too. She went on to become a legal executive and the first woman Licensed conveyancer.

Yves was a chef before it was fashionable for men to be in the kitchen.  Back in those days cooking was considered a women’s job, but Aurèle could be found in the kitchen concocting all kinds of culinary delights for family and friends.

In his latter years he opened Lamy & Company Licensed Conveyancers, a family business dealing with the legal transfer of property.
His family was his world. He enjoyed a flutter on the horses, loved to cook for large occasions and never lost his quirky sense of humour no matter what life had to throw at him. 

He was there for us during the crucial years and I wonder if he knew just how much that meant to us.

 
He would be well chuffed to know he has a QR code.
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The Family
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