A friend stopped me in the street the other day. "We're losing all our old characters, boy," he said with an air of genuine concern. "And the trouble is there are none coming along to replace them."

Well I agreed with the first part of what he said, but I very much questioned the latter comment. Just pop along South Parade any morning and take a look at the last of the summer wine chatting away in the shade of the Town Walls. If you pause to listen your education will be improved, certainly your knowledge of local topics and in-town-tonight people will be enhanced.

But we are inevitably losing many of our most colourful and lovable personalities in Tenby and the community is the poorer for their passing.

The past week or so has brought the death of two fine citizens, Miriam Crockford and Ken Lee. Both had enjoyed far more than their allotted span of life. Ken was 88, Miriam would have been 90 later this year. They made their mark on the town in different ways and in doing so enriched our lives.

Miriam was a remarkable woman. She and her late husband, the inimitable 'Dinkie' Crockford, brought up a wonderful family of nine children. What finer contribution to society could anyone make than that?

Young mothers today with all the benefits of our welfare system must wonder at the achievement of bringing up such a large family.

What problems and worries that must have created. And, of course, what happiness and satisfaction.

Dinkie, for many years the renowned link between the monks of Caldey and the mainland, was very much a one-off character. His dry wit is frequently recalled by those who knew and admired him.

The problems of coping with a large family left no visible mark on Mrs. Crockford. She remained to the end an elegant woman, looking far younger than her years and with a fine dress sense and warm sense of humour.

We often chatted together and laughed at a comment she had told me about another lovable Tenby character, the late Mrs. Cramp, of Tudor Square. Her favourite saying had been "You've gotta keepa keepa going." In other words stop moaning and get on with life. And that was a philosophy Miriam herself adopted.

I am sure Miriam was delighted with the MBE her Lifeboat son Charles received in the New Year's Honours list. She must have felt proud of him as she did of all her family. And they must be very proud of their late Mum.

Ken Lee, too, was an elegant person. My mental picture is of him smoking his beloved pipe and sporting his favourite bow-tie.

Tenby was his adopted town and he still retained an attractive West Country burr in his impressive voice.

He was admired as an accomplished teacher at Greenhill School where he taught for many years.

His father was a journalist who, I believe, was a former Mayor of his town. Ken was never a Mayor, but he was a remarkably competent consort to his late wife Joan during her year of office as Mayor of Tenby.

Ken Lee had one outstanding characteristic. He was totally reliable. If he undertook to do a job you could rely on it being done well.

He more than anyone built up a loyal membership of the Friends of Tenby Museum which now contributes handsomely each year to the Museum's economy. Through personal contact, he greatly enhanced the number of regular supporters.

At one time he was an enthusiastic golfer. He would never have aspired to Walker Cup selection, but he enjoyed the game and was a valued companion on the course and in the clubhouse.

His other great love was the theatre and amateur dramatics as it used to be termed. Ken was a valued and talented member of Tenby Players for many years. He handled a variety of roles with poise and polish and was the sort of member who gave substance and dignity, as well as loyal service, to the society.

Ken and Miriam will both be missed by many.