“Bob was born in Liverpool to Irish parents and has lived here all his life. Leaving school at 14 he went straight to the building site like many lads at the time. He became a roof tiler/slater, working on some of the most well-known buildings in Liverpool including the Albert Dock, The Pumphouse Pub and Wapping Dock. His work included re-roofing the Norris Green and Dovecot estates before heading out to Saudi Arabia for work on the main Riyadh Hospital and military bases.
After roofing he opened the ‘Scouse house’ café in the Albert dock and ‘Take 5’ a movie themed café in the city centre along with his wife Trish. Following that it was ‘Smokey Joe’s’ bar and restaurant in Stanley Street next to the old Radio City, where well-loved Billy Butler and Wally Scott would often broadcast live from ‘Smokey’s’ bar.
Many scousers would remember ‘Flickers’ a hand carved candle shop operating from the Albert Dock, St Johns Precinct and Clayton Square over the years. Christmas themed candles were a big hit and even now Bob is stopped by strangers who ask, ‘are you the candle man?’ He took his candle carving to Canada, demonstrating and retailing them at The Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto and then in The Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver.
An avid golfer in his younger days, Bob now spends any spare time learning and playing Irish Trad music, which he loves.
Bob wrote his first book ‘Tucker’ last year at the age of 75. The Tucker stories are based on his childhood daydreams of the special days when he would take a penny tram ride to Liverpool’s Pierhead and the River Mersey to see the docks and ships on the river.
As a young boy he would look up at the giant clockface on the famous Liver Building and imagine himself living in a special room behind it, even flying on the birds over the city when they came alive as the lights fades. The waterfront by the Liver Building is still his favourite part of the city that he loves.
Now after all these years Tucker has allowed Bobs childhood daydreams to be shared with others. He hopes to write more Tucker stories, all based on his daydreams as a young Liverpool lad.”
