Nigel was born in Carmarthen, South Wales on 19 May 1937 to George and Lynn Maddock.  The first of three children with his middle brother Geoff and youngest sister Jennifer.

He grew up in the Swansea Valley where he had an idyllic childhood despite the war.  He lived with his family at The Bird in Hand public house in the Godre'rgraig area of Ystalyfera where he learnt to pull a pint at an early age. 

He went to Cwmtwrch Primary School in the same class as the legendary Welsh rugby player and coach, Clive Rowlands. 

At age 12 he attended Pontardawe Technical School, where he always said his studies often came second to rugby. He was coached there by Bill Samuel, who inspired the World’s Greatest Ever scrum-half, Sir Gareth Edwards.

He loved the game of rugby and in 1953 was lucky enough to be at The Cardiff Arms Park to see Wales beat New Zealand. They haven’t done it since. He would go on to play for Pontardawe Rugby Club with his brother Geoff.

After leaving school he enjoyed hiking in Welsh Mountains. In 1956 a group of Swansea Valley athletes were invited to a youth festival in Moscow, he was delighted to be invited to attend and walk in the Ural Mountains. 

On leaving school he had many jobs including working as a miner in his father’s small private coal mine and even as a waiter at the Caswell Bay Hotel in the Gower.

Eventually he went to Coleg Harlech in North Wales as a mature student. He started to train as a nurse at Cefn Coed Psychiatric Hospital in Swansea where he found his true vocation; and the person who was to become his wife, Gloria. 

By this time Gloria was a Sister and to be seen to be courting a student was almost scandalous in those days. 

They were married in Swansea in August 1967 in front of all their family and friends. 

In 1968 they both moved to Hertfordshire to advance Gloria’s career and where Nigel would finish his training, at amongst others, St Albans City Hospital before joining her to also work at Napsbury Psychiatric Hospital in London Colney. 

In September 1969 they welcomed the only son Ewan, who he doted on.

Ewan’s fondest memory of his Dad as a child was watching him watch Wales play rugby on the TV.  He was a complete bag of nerves and he felt every tackle, kicked every ball and celebrated every try. And twice as much if they were playing England!

They stayed in rented accomodation provided by the hospital for most of this time as it was not meant to be a permanent stay.  They both meant to return to Wales, but they both remained working at Napsbury Hospital for over thirty years. They were both popular members of this tight-knit and friendly community, some of whom join us today either in person or online. 

Eventually Nigel moved from being a nurse to teaching the next generation of nurses and joined the nurse training school at Napsbury Hospital where he was a very popular member, both with both colleagues, some of who are with us today, and the students.  Here he stayed until restructuring saw his early retirement and he began working part-time for the University of Hertfordshire as an on-site tutor for the students before he retired when Napsbury Hospital finally closed in 1998.

In 1994 Nigel welcomed Ewan’s late wife, Abi and Matthew to the family when he became a much loved grandfather.  Shortly after the arrival of granddaughter, Bethan, in 2002 sadly Abi passed away. He was always there to support Ewan and his grandchildren. Matthew insisted that he read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Zeuss so many times he could almost recite it from memory. One of Bethan’s happy memories is of him sitting for ages allowing her to paint his face as a clown. 

Their many shared holidays, memories and especially his terrible jokes will always be precious to them.

Sadly, as a couple of strokes and age caught up with him, Gloria and his family were no longer able to care for him at home and he moved to Wilton House Care Home in Shenley. 

He spent the last 2 ½ years of his life at Wilton House where Gloria visited almost everyday.  

Gloria, Ewan and the family would like to thank all the staff and residents of Wilton House for the excellent care he received and the support they gave Gloria. Despite the difficulties of the last year when the family couldn't visit as often as they wished, they took comfort from knowing he was well cared for.

He died very peacefully on 18 April 2021.