This bench on Appley Beach marks a special spot for the family Padwick. They all loved coming over here, enjoying the lovely beach and the great view on the Solent.
Denis Padwick was born in Romsey, Hampshire in 1914. He was a man of many talents and he tried some for various jobs before making his final choice.
He started studying accountancy before becoming a psychiatric nurse. In the mid-1930s he joined the police force and was stationed in Basingstoke.
He married his beloved Lena and together they got three children.
In 1950 Denis Padwick, now a Sergeant at the police and his family moved to Hayling Island. In the mid-1950s the family moved again, now to the Isle of Wight, after Mr.Padwick being promoted to Inspector. They found a nice house in Ryde.
Inspector Padwick made it to international news when he had to create a makeshift mortuary in Parkhurst for the fifteen victims of the crash of the Aquila flying boat in Chessell.
His job forced him off the Isle of Wight, first he went to Lyndhurst as a Chief Inspector and he ended his career at the police force in 1964 as a Superintendent where it all started: in Basingstoke. After his retirement he worked 15 years for the Ministry of Defence in security.
Mr.Padwick was not a man who would do nothing, so after this retirement he filled his days with singing, giving talks, cross-stitching an writing his memoirs. In 2006 he moved back to the Isle of Wight, to Bembridge, to be closer to daughter Pat and her family. Daughter Janet died in the same year.
He became ill in 2008 and was treated in St.Mary's Hospital in Newport where he died quite soon after. He left behind two children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Quite a lot of people on the island will have memories of his contribution to the commemorations at the 50th anniversary of the Aquila disaster in 2007.
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