Born in 1871 he began his working life as stable boy in Norwich before taking over the company and going on to be a leading businessman, Sheriff and then Lord Mayor of Norwich.

His name was Charles Watling. He married Martha Nichols from Swaffham in 1898, they had two sons and a daughter, and it was their boy Geoffrey who grew up to become one of the best known and most popular gentlemen in Norfolk.

Now, 20 years after his death, the money left by the man who saved our football club from bankruptcy in the 1950s, continues to help others in many different ways..

As we have reported, more than £10 million has now been handed over by the Geoffrey Watling Charity to a huge range of charities, organisations and good causes across Norfolk and parts of Suffolk.

His father was born in Norwich during 1871, His first job was being a stable boy…one with a vision and a sharp brain.

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By 1890 he was he was driving a horse-drawn parcel delivery cart around the city and he went on to take over the firm he was working for, Globe Parcels Express, when it went bust

The business began with one pony and a two-wheeled cart and then grew into one of the most successful companies of its kind in the region.

And by 1926 the company, based in Westlegate, owned up to 80 horses making deliveries, organising removals and storage far and wide.

While motor vehicles slowly took over Charles was faithful to the horse and never drove a car.

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He became a Liberal councillor in Norwich in 1922, Sheriff in 1929 and Lord Mayor in 1937/38.  He was described as a popular speaker with an inexhaustible supply of well told stories.

When Geoffrey was in charge of the company  it grew and grew expanding across East Anglia and further afield.. A taxi service was added and more lorries arrived.

Following the Second World War he looked at ways of expanding his business interests and decided the war-weary public wanted places to cheer them up. Brights, food, and fun.

It is amazing to think that at one time he was opening new restaurants every three weeks, most on the Norfolk coast, and he went on to own more than 50 different businesses.

Geoffrey needed an HQ in the city where he could run his growing empire from so he took over the world-famous Samson & Hercules – the Tudor mansion with a ballroom and swimming pool. He restored it following a fire in 1948.

S&H was the beating heart of city life where a host of different events were held. Geoffrey loved the world of showbiz and took over the Norwich Lido,  the Palais de Danse at Lowestoft, a ballroom  at Luton and Wimbledon Palais among others.

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He attracted some of the biggest bands of the day to Norwich, including Count Basie, but it was Geoffrey himself who was of the greatest gents in the city.

He would drive around in his flash cars and the people would cheer and wave. No one was jealous of him. They were proud of him.

His former secretary Joyce Gurney Read told me: “I had such an exciting time working for him. He was a wonderful man and so generous.”

He travelled the world and lived life to the full…he loved Norwich City and so did all those at the ground, on and off the pitch.

He was the number one Canary. Chairman for 16 years and President until his death.

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Geoffrey died in 2004 but the charity he established in 1993 continues to do such good work in his name…and that is just what he wanted.

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