Merrick, his other son, recalled Dick’s favourite story about when he was living in Blewbury, Oxfordshire. Not a great gardener, he had to use some of his famous self-discipline to ensure he did the weeding once a week and this always coincided with the vicar riding past on his bicycle. One week the vicar walked past. “What’s happened to your bicycle, Vicar,” asked Francis. “Has it been stolen?”

“I’m afraid it has,” replied the Vicar.

Francis suggested that, next Sunday, he should use the 10 Commandments as the basis for his sermon and when he got to ‘thou shalt not steal’ he should fix the congregation with a steely gaze.

The next week the Vicar was back on his bicycle. “Did you use the 10 Commandments,” asked Francis.

“Yes,” replied the Vicar, “but it didn’t quite work out as I had expected. I got to ‘thou shalt not commit adultery’ and I remembered where I had left it.”