Pauline

Welcome to the 60's club!

As from Monday you will no longer be my toy boy for another year.

All my love
Pauline

Dan and Helen

Dear Ian,

So the word it out – you are finally 60! I thought you were on THE ARK! No wonder you knew so much about the British Document Supply Centre. You were there before it was built. In those days before Xerox machines, you must have copied documents by hand.

Helen and I wish you all the best on your big day. We hope you can still remember its date. So go out and drink an “Old Fart” beer. As you know, it was “conceived in celebration of all the cantankerous Old Boozers who make life a misery.” You deserve a whole truck load.

Best Wishes,

Dan and Helen Wilde

P.S. Who drank the beer out of the bottle you gave me – your old FART!

Maureen

Uncle Ian,

It looks like everybody else calls you Uncle Ian so I guess with all the Smarties you have sent me I should call you that too!

Happy Birthday!
Mareen Mahoney

Tim Burke presents his case

Just before I contact my lawyers, I thought I would give you fellows the opportunity to make restitution. Here's why...

Where was my #$%&ing invitation to the party! (Hey what's wrong with my keyboard, every time I write $!%& or $#!& it comes out like *&$%!)

This is a clear case of discrimination against colonials, racisim I say! Or perhaps its a case of ageism, as I am in fact almost exactly 10 years younger than Ian? Or is is a case of hiruteism as I couldn't grow a set of lambchops like that when I was married?

I suspect though it was comedic discrimination, as it has been demonstrated on at least two occasions that I am funnier than Ian. To whit, I clearly won the 'joke-off' at the Novotel Darling Harbour, and to my knowledge Ian has never dropped a man to the ground with a joke. See?

Alright, now that I've vented some, perhaps there were some valid reasons for my exclusion (apart from the geography thing)...

Ian does have a bigger heart than me,
He has two beautiful daughters where I only have one,
His (sort-of) ex-colleagues love and respect him greatly,
His customers are touched by him (emotionally I mean)
He lives in God's own countryside,
He gives thoughtful gifts, loves children and horseys, tells enchanting stories, is loyal to his friends, spreads warmth and humour around the world, and, and, oh dear, I'm making myself all misty-eyed now...

Regardless, you WILL be hearing further from me!

Perhaps if you could arrange for Ian to wish me happy 50th and happy 25th wedding anniversary this year I could be persuaded not to press charges.

(Happy Birthday Ian, you deserve it.)

Tim

Jennifer Bradley

Happy Birthday wishes Ian!

As our favorite BL representative (emeritus?) and an avid Tommy Cooper fan I tried to find you a 'library' joke.

This was the closest I could get: "It's strange, isn't it. You stand in the middle of a library and go aaaaagghhhh' and everyone just stares at you. But you do the same thing on an aeroplane, and everyone joins in."

So much for literary humor.
Enjoy your day!
Jennifer

P.S. Here is something you might want to consider with your copious free time. Stupid Sock Creatures

Andrew

Ian has always struck me as a cross between Eric Morecombe and Ronnie Barker, the latter mainly in his capacity as a writer. (No doubt Ian will not like these comparisons as they are both now dead!) If you are reading this outside of the UK and don't know who these two characters are then in combination they are just like Ian.

Ian is well known for his writing on many aspects of life at the British Library, especially his early reminiscences and tales of former and present members of staff - I am honoured by a small mention in these. However, my favourite piece is one that he wrote many years ago describing what it would be like when archaeologists come to dig up the site of the Library in around 400 years time. Sadly I cannot trace a copy, I think it is so old as to predate the computer, but if it ever does come to light it is worthy of distribution.

Keep them coming, Ian.
Andrew

Laura and Janie

To the bestest Dad in the whole wide world.

Happy 60th Birthday.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Love you lots and lots
Laura & James

Happy 60th Pops!

Hope you have a peaceful and quiet day :-)

Lots & lots of love,
Janie & Matt xxx

Wendy Peter and Joe

Hi Ian

Happy 60th Birthday!!

You deserve to have a great day and I'm sure Pauline and the girls, your family and friends will make sure you do.

When we worked together at the BL you gave me support, advice when needed, and best of all, a sense of perspective and of humour. A reflection of your kindness and perception. Many thanks for this Ian. Thankfully, I still receive the funnies and many a day that's the only smile I get.

Congratulations and best wishes to a lovely man,
Wendy, Peter and Joe Semczuk

Susan

Hi Ian

Have a wonderful 60th birthday.

Thanks for being our purveyor of fine humour for so many years. Long, long, long may it continue.

To your very rude health.
Love from Susan (Jones)

Sam and Mitch

To the guardian of my moral welfare and the provider of horse racing days out for my husband (where's the contradiction there???) - congratulations on your 60th Birthday!!

Hope you have a fantastic time.

Loads and loads of love
Sam and Mitch xxxxxxxxx

Rob and Chris

Happy 60th Ian

Congratulations and hope you have a great time in Ireland

All the best
Rob and Chris

Kris

Dear Ian

Very best wishes on your 60th Birthday, I hope you have a great year.

Love
Kris

Kate and Phil

"Wishing our Uncle Ian the very best of his favourite things, plus some extra merriment on top, from Kate & Phil Moores.

You are EVERYONE's Uncle Ian and we love you for that!"

Jen Lemay

Dear Ian:

Happy Birthday.

Here is to 60 more years as good as the first 60!

Thanks for all of the laughs.
Jennifer LeMay (Of the "Jennifer's")

Emma

Dear Uncle Ian

Congratulations on your 60th Birthday.

You dont look any older than..............your last birthday.

Have a Guiness or two for me.

Loads of Love
Emma xxoxxoxxo.

Denis

Dear Ian,

I have had the privilege and definite pleasure of knowing you and Pauline for many years now - we go back a long time and as can be confirmed by the "Buddies" E-Mail which you sent out a couple of days ago-I do definitely consider you and Pauline as firm friends-I have very pleasant memories of buying you some giant Hamburgers in San Antonio to celebrate your 55th Birthday some 5 years ago-was it really that long ago ?- my how time flies by !

There is a haunting line in T.S. Eliot's "Waste Land"-"where has time gone?-time for the living?" where indeed ? What has happened to last year? indeed what has happened to the first 5 years of this Millennium for that matter?-it has flown by.

I have very fond memories of working together in Marketing with Richard Roman ( with whom I still remain in touch- he wants me to go and teach for 3 months in China-mind you a Chinese take away will never be the same again if I do take him up on his offer !) - Wendy Semczuk, John Westmancoat and others in the halcyon years conducting business very professionally, making a lot of money for our employers in the process and having fun at the same time-work hard and play hard was the motto.

I appreciate your good sense of humour and your team play and sense of loyalty-but above all your practicality and excellent sense of humour-an essential ingredient to combat the stresses of modern life. I appreciate your jokes very much-they cheer me up considerably-occasionally I do send you a few good ones in return don't you think ?-I think that the mens' rules was a gem don't you think?

Anyway, me old mate-Happy 60th Birthday-let me know if you and Pauline come down to London and we can meet up-Here's to the next 60 years !! may you and Pauline who now can join you in retirement enjoy health, happiness, peace of mind and serenity AND HAVE THE PLEASURE OF THE GRANDCHILDREN GROWING UP AND SOMETIMES MAKING THE VERY SAME MISTAKES WE DID !!!-all the best for the future and do keep sending the jokes in !!!!

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU IAN, MATE !!!!!
YOUR OLD MATE, DENIS ( REIDY)

Chrissie

Happy 60th Uncle Ian!!

Have a fab time in Ireland- don't drink too much!!!

Lots of love
Chrissie xxxxxxxx

Carl Ella and Noah

Ian,

Congratulations on this auspicious occasion, 60 years and still going strong, I hope that you celebrate in appropriate style.

Thirty five years of happy memories reminds me that time doesn't stand still for any of us, that and watching you fill the important "Uncle Ian" role for another generation of Wilsons.

All the best mate, long may you run......
Carl, Ella and Noah.

Babs and John

Ian

We have known you for many, many years, we have celebrated together on many occasions from the birth of children to your wedding to England beating Germany 5-1 in the world cup qualifier.

Pauline and I are best friends and you and John get on very well too. We have all spent many happy holidays together in America and also Keswick, in fact the week in October in the Lakes is now a Leadley Wilson tradition.

Christmas at Mill House would not be the same without you.

Ella and Noah both enjoy your jokes, stories and pictures as did Carl, Sam, Emma and Chrissie and who can forget Ella with her joke book on your knee for ages reading to you.

You have followed us around England and the world when John was in the RAF so it is only fitting that John and I should follow you to Ireland to help you celebrate this most auspicious birthday.

Happy birthday Ian and many more
Love and best wishes
Babs and John

Barb

Ian,

As a good sport, you’ve done me, and all Wisconsonians (aka Wisconsinites) PROUD through the years as an owner and wearer of a real CheeseHead and have become a Green Bay Packer Backer; fan of America’s team. Now that you are ‘up in years’ I understand I’ll need to remind you to don it during the season.

I’m hoping that the daily jokes still come although I’ll understand if you miss sending them periodically. Your life now becomes consumed with other tasks, like taking Geritol, mushing up your food, and finding your keys. Enjoy this milestone year and you have reached the point in life where you deserve Guinness Logic as often as you like.

Have the BEST of Birthdays
Babs Schmitt

Joe Thopsey

Ian,

I know that it's your birthday, but I still think you should be
sending us presents....like the candy that you're so famous for supplying.

Have a Happy Birthday !!!
Joe Thopsey

David Mac

"Ian, it hardly seems like yesterday since we were seeing you retire from the BL. I hope that you are enjoying your retirement with Pauline and my sincere congratulations on your 60th Birthday.

They say great people were born on the 16th January, don't know what they mean, do you? Have a wonderful day my friend.

Yours with sincere best wishes, David Mac" Kind regards, David

Fun!

Hi Ian -

Well this is the last post. This blog and the content was a joint effort by many people. That means that there are a lot of people to blame. I would like to thank all the contributors. A special thanx to Sam for all her help in coordinating with your friends and family on your side of the pond. I can only hope that you are having as much fun with this as I had in putting it together.

Happy Birthday - You OLD FART!!!
Mike