Long ago we missed the 100th anniversary of the birth of Buster (Harry) Merryfield, who will be remembered as the esteemed and much-loved Uncle Albert in Only Fools and Horses from 1985-96. Born in Battersea, London he was a British schoolboy boxing champion before becoming a PTI & jungle warfare instructor in WW2 and continuing his fitness, becoming the Southern Command boxing champion in 1945. Although he had been in countless amateur productions particularly in Woking, Surrey he moved towards entertaining troops in his war service, where he rose to Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery. After the war he was a bank manager for 40 years with NatWest Thames Ditton branch in Surrey and became a professional actor at the age of 57, initially appearing at the Connaught Theatre in Worthing, Sussex in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. He had appeared in a play with OFAH “Grandad” Lennard Pearce and when the latter died as the series was becoming ever popular, he wrote in for an audition and impressed David Jason and the producers, albeit his lack of TV experience had to be often resolved by Jason and Lyndhurst, who nurtured his development to a much loved character, with the oft-quoted “during the war....”. He only has 8 screen credits though Uncle Albert is enough. In 1996-7 he appeared in panto at the Pavilion, Bournemouth and spent his later years with family near Verwood, Dorset, passing away in Poole at the age of 78. We believe him worthy of a match in his honour and hope you accept – if the numbers or ratings do not suit, then please make contact.
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