Tributes have been paid to a popular former Newport barber who only closed on the day of his wedding.
Keith Gammon died last month after a life dedicated to Gammon Barbers at Corporation Road in Newport, which he took on from his father who set up the business in 1948.
His family have paid tribute to him, saying: “Everyone in the area knew Keith. He would stand at the shop front door and talk and smile to anybody walking past.
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“He would make a point in the mornings to say ‘hello’ to the children on the way to school.”
Following in his father’s footsteps Keith became a barber in the Royal Navy for a decade as a young man, based on aircraft carriers the Ark Royal and the Eagle, where his claim to fame was styling the hair of Lord Mountbatten.
His family said: “He often talked warmly to his children, grandchildren and customers of his time sailing the seas - all the beautiful countries he got to see, the friends he made, the trouble he got into.
“Two of his favourite stories were from being stuck accidentally in a submarine for five days as they had not told him they were going to start a war game exercise before he boarded. He suffered from claustrophobia.
“And once while they were travelling between navy ships by helicopter which had to ditch into the sea due to engine trouble. He alongside four others were rescued but he lost two close friends in the tragedy."
After a decade with the navy he returned to Newport following the death of his parents to take on the barbers - renaming it K.C Gammons where built up a popular and successful family business which is still going today.
During his working life he would have the doors open at the shop from 7.30am to 5.30pm and every Saturday, and he only ever closed on the day of his wedding to Avril Gammon on July 26 1971, his family said.
Avril was a school teacher who was employed at Monnow Junior School for almost 40 years. They had sons Leigh and Brian.
His family said: “Over the years at Corporation Road Keith saw many changes; shops opening and closing while the barbers stood fast through the many hard times the surrounding area went through due to his determination - becoming the longest established barbers ever in Newport.
“Keith became more involved in helping the area prosper and joined in the local community events. He became involved in the local amateur Cromwell Football Club as a sponsor, became a trustee at the local Columba Club where he went for a pint most evenings, and helped with many charity events.
“Keith always said he worked not for himself but for his community and to give his family a better life than he had.”
Keith never formally retired but began to take a back seat with the business when his youngest son Brian began training. It allowed Keith to spend more time with his family and to realise his passion for more travel by visiting 47 different countries - most of them with Avril.
Even at 86 and after a string of serious health complications, Keith would still often be seen in the shop chatting to customers.
Keith’s funeral will be held at St John’s Church in Maindee at 1pm on February 25 before the cremation at Langstone Vale Crematorium at 2.30pm. The funeral cortege will leave from outside the barbers at 12.40pm and travel along Corporation Road to St John’s Church, where his family are inviting anyone who wishes to attend.
They added: “He would want people to know that his funeral is a reflection and a celebration of his life.
“Those children [who passed his shop], now adults, still to this day tell the story of the happy barber always smiling, and now bring their children to the salon. He was always a true people person.”
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