Fond farewell to founder of Jakeman Sports in Aylesbury

Mr Jakeman ran Jakeman Sports alongside his son, David, and grandson, Adam.

He is survived by Adam and David, as well as his wife Doreen and daughter Wendy, who is deputy headteacher at The Grange School.

He also has a grandaughter, Hayley, who is a trainee zookeeper at Whipsnade.

Mr Jakeman was born in Ardenham Street, Aylesbury in 1926.

In 1944 he joined the Navy and was trained as a gunner.

During the war he had a brush with death on the Straits of Corfu. His ship, the HMS Volage was hit by a a bomb and the front was completely destroyed.

Mr Jakeman was seriously injured and taken onto an American hospital ship. But in the meantime his crewmates thought that he had died, and prepared his grave.

In August 1948, Mr Jakeman married Doreen in Melton, Northamptonshire.

They had met on the dodgems at Portsmouth where Mr Jakeman had been sent to convalesce after his wartime traumas in Corfu.

Two children followed and the family set up home in Aylesbury.

Shortly afterwards Mr Jakeman took on a shop in Park Street where he worked repairing boots and shoes.

In the shop Mr Jakeman hired a man who had also been injured during the war, losing a leg.

And to expand the business further, this man ran a second kiosk in Aylesbury’s Underground Market.

When son David turned 16, Mr Jakeman set him up at this kiosk too, and David expanded into selling sports equipment.

When Friars Square was redeveloped the business moved to Bourbon Street, where both Jakemans worked together.

And when David’s son Adam was old enough he joined the family firm too, and now works alongside his father in the Fairford Leys store the business moved to in 2011.

David said: “I was 16 when I started working with my dad, and I don’t think there’s any other business in town where three generations of 
the same family work together.”

Outside of the sports shop business, Mr Jakeman enjoyed fishing, and goingto see his beloved Arsenal play.

He was also an active member of Aylesbury’s Conservative Club and served as vice chairman.

Daughter Wendy said: “A big love that he shared with David and Adam was football.

“As kids we used to go to football to watch Aylesbury United. We used to go to the grounds in Wendover Road and apparently he used to take me in the pram and leave me at the side while he helped to put up the stands!”

She added: “We always did lots of things together as a family. Dad was a keen fisherman and as a family we would go over to Wootton lakes in the summer.”

Mr and Mrs Jakeman also enjoyed going on holiday, taking two cruises as well as coach tours to countries all over Europe.