Press Release: Celebrating the life of Giles Hart - London Bombing Victim - Ten Years On
Maryla Hart | 06.07.2015 22:50 | London | World
Giles Hart born 1949, was killed in the 7th July 2005 Bombings in Tavistock Square. On Sunday 5th July 2015 a service and celebration of his life were held by friends and family.
Giles Hart – Press Release by the family – 06/07/2015
On the afternoon of Sunday 5th July a private memorial service and Celebration of Giles’ life took place at his memorial in Ravencourt Park, Hammersmith . Over 40 friends and family members gathered to pay tribute to Giles’s memory and celebrate his life. The short service, which included speeches by family and friends, a Beatles' song Imagine by his son Martin and the sprinkling of rose petals, was followed by a gathering and celebration of Giles’ life in a local venue overlooking the Thames.
As friends and family shared memories and recollections of Giles some common themes emerged:
Giles had been an active and leading member in the Polish Solidarity Campaign of Great Britain, who campaigned for freedom and human rights in Poland during communist times. Not only had he been a leading light in the organisation, keeping members focused and on track, and increasing its finances around 50 fold with the sales of T -shirts , badges and banners. Giles also edited, and published a History of PSC: “For our freedom and yours” and donated extensive campaign material to a PSC archive he founded at POSK, Hammersmith. Giles's daughter Maryla, now 31, said: “I was interested to learn how much former PSC activists value my dad’s contribution in carrying through the above projects and preserving the history and memories of this social movement. I learnt that the archives and the book are widely used by researchers who are studying the history of Solidarity support groups across the world. I am proud that he had the forsight and tenacity to create these historical sources, they are a real legacy to him and to the movement.”
Maryla recalled how Giles brought her up to ask questions, assert her opinions and stand up for what she believed in. “He loved serious conversations on a wide variety of subjects and I learned so much from listening to and conversing with my dad. He led by example by introducing me to his broad interests including film history from silent films onwards. He taught me there is much more to discover in life than the popular culture fed to us by the mainstream media would have many people believe; that many older works have stood the test of time and other things of value may not make it into the main stream. “
He was a dedicated family man who always made time for his wife and children. His family and friends recalled how Giles loved going for walks, locally and on holiday.
Giles was vice-Chairman of the Havering Humanists and President of the HG Wells Society.
The family ask that the public respect their privacy at this difficult time.
The memorial was erected in Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith in 2008, made of Granite that had been shipped over from Poland. It was sponsored by his English friends and the Polish community.
On the afternoon of Sunday 5th July a private memorial service and Celebration of Giles’ life took place at his memorial in Ravencourt Park, Hammersmith . Over 40 friends and family members gathered to pay tribute to Giles’s memory and celebrate his life. The short service, which included speeches by family and friends, a Beatles' song Imagine by his son Martin and the sprinkling of rose petals, was followed by a gathering and celebration of Giles’ life in a local venue overlooking the Thames.
As friends and family shared memories and recollections of Giles some common themes emerged:
Giles had been an active and leading member in the Polish Solidarity Campaign of Great Britain, who campaigned for freedom and human rights in Poland during communist times. Not only had he been a leading light in the organisation, keeping members focused and on track, and increasing its finances around 50 fold with the sales of T -shirts , badges and banners. Giles also edited, and published a History of PSC: “For our freedom and yours” and donated extensive campaign material to a PSC archive he founded at POSK, Hammersmith. Giles's daughter Maryla, now 31, said: “I was interested to learn how much former PSC activists value my dad’s contribution in carrying through the above projects and preserving the history and memories of this social movement. I learnt that the archives and the book are widely used by researchers who are studying the history of Solidarity support groups across the world. I am proud that he had the forsight and tenacity to create these historical sources, they are a real legacy to him and to the movement.”
Maryla recalled how Giles brought her up to ask questions, assert her opinions and stand up for what she believed in. “He loved serious conversations on a wide variety of subjects and I learned so much from listening to and conversing with my dad. He led by example by introducing me to his broad interests including film history from silent films onwards. He taught me there is much more to discover in life than the popular culture fed to us by the mainstream media would have many people believe; that many older works have stood the test of time and other things of value may not make it into the main stream. “
He was a dedicated family man who always made time for his wife and children. His family and friends recalled how Giles loved going for walks, locally and on holiday.
Giles was vice-Chairman of the Havering Humanists and President of the HG Wells Society.
The family ask that the public respect their privacy at this difficult time.
The memorial was erected in Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith in 2008, made of Granite that had been shipped over from Poland. It was sponsored by his English friends and the Polish community.
Maryla Hart
