By James Hurst (Grandson) There are not many people who I would consider to be my personal role models or my personal heroes, but Jack Hurst, my grandfather was one of them. When I reflect on who I am today, I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude to my grandfather because I feel like so many of the worthwhile or admirable traits I have I got thanks to the lessons he and my grandmother taught me. I recall going on walks with my grandfather as a child, just the two of us through the leafy fields and forests around Radlett. We would discuss philosophy, history, religion and politics for hours as we walked meandering dirt paths in thick wellies. I remember vividly the heated discussions and blue skies. My grandfather was the first adult who I felt truly treated me as something more than a child despite my young age. He would listen intently as I talked what was probably nonsense, and I would listen intently as he imparted words of wisdom in return. As a lifelong teacher Grandad always had a knack for getting across his ideas, and when I think back I can see every moment I spent with him was a lesson in itself. He would listen carefully and cared about what I said and what my dreams and aspirations were. He would also challenge me on things I said which he disagreed with and made me think about what I was saying. He taught me how to really listen to the points of others, but he also taught me the importance of not just accepting what you are told because someone said so. He was never one to accept rules at face value. I may have at times scoffed at being told my view of the world didn’t accord with things he told me and I certainly at times resisted having to justify or defend my own views where we disagreed, but he showed me the search for truth is valuable in itself and that questioning things and presenting different points of view is a mark of wisdom. Sometimes we would each play the role of devil’s advocate, but in truth it’s a role that needs to be played, not because it’s edgy but because it’s enlightening. It’s safe to say I couldn’t do my job now as a lawyer without his wisdom. In fact, I am sure he is the very first person to have said I should be a lawyer, and I honestly don’t think I ever could have had the confidence to even try to be a lawyer without his encouragement. A favourite thing me and my grandfather liked to do was play chess. From when I first played with him aged 5 or so it became a tradition that we would have at least a few games whenever we saw each other. I can tell you now my grandad never went easy on me, and I was frustrated for years at how he always seemed to have my number. Defeat after defeat. Worse still was on the rare occasion I was winning as a child, I often found myself going full ‘supervillain’ mode; I would talk about how I was about to win and I bragged whenever I got one of his pieces. This was of course only to have the rug swiftly pulled out from under me time and again. Of course as I got older, and better at the game from being defeated over and over, I learned from my mistakes, well some of them at least. The tables turned and eventually I did start winning. I will always remember what an achievement each win felt like, because my grandfather never just gave me those wins. He made me work for it, and it was so much more satisfying as a result. Again, even playing games, my grandfather couldn’t help but teach me lessons. He taught me the importance of hard work and the value there is in perseverance. All the best things in life, the things worth having, you have to put in the work to get them. It’d certainly be fair to say my grandparents rarely, if ever, chose to discipline me or my siblings bar the odd finger wag or raised voice if we argued or misbehaved. Unlike my poor parents who I remember having the thankless task of contesting countless arguments with five warring siblings! There’s a certain irony that my grandfather, the renowned schoolmaster and disciplinarian, who my father and uncles have in the past assured me could be stricter with them than anybody else, only ever displayed the utmost patience with his grandchildren. Of course, I’d be lying if I said my grandad taught me everything he knew, or that all his attempts to teach me were roaring successes. I remember all of his many efforts to teach both me and my siblings French ended up being abject failures. Sadly not even a fraction of his prodigious talent for foreign languages were passed on to his hapless progeny, I was probably the worst of the bunch, even now I can barely say my own name in French! My grandad taught me more than enough though. He taught me more than I will ever be able to thank him for. I will always carry the memory of my grandfather with me wherever I go, along with all the many lessons he taught me. I will remember him every time I walk on a hilltop, I play a game of chess or I sit in the garden in the cool of the day. He might have passed away, but I know he will always live on in all of the wisdom he passed along to so many throughout his life. I don’t miss him, because although he may have died, he will never leave me.