Baby Sid carries on name of beloved Ipswich shopkeeper

The popular Ipswich shopkeeper died in January, months before the birth of his youngest grandson, but son Babsy Singh said the decision to name his newborn "Sid" was the family's way of "keeping his legacy going".

Gurdita and baby brother Sid who was named after his grandfather at Brunswick Road Post Office PICTURE: CHARLOTTE BOND (Image: CHARLOTTE BOND)

Three-month-old baby Sid was born on August 3 this year and his dad describes him as "pretty active", starting to grin and pay attention to what's going on around him.

Babsy, who is also known as Tony, said: "I think it's going to be nice to have a little one running around, keeping the name and Dad's legacy going.

"It's sad that Dad never got to meet him. I remember he was over the moon when we told him last Christmas that he was going to be a grandad again.

"But the baby been a godsend for the family after the year we've had, for my mum especially. It's something good to hold onto."

The grandfather of eight was 61 when he died on January 15, having spent more than 25 years running shops throughout Ipswich.

He ran shops in Tomline Road, Clapgate Lane and Suffolk Road before running the tills at Brunswick Road Post Office.

Babsy and Sunny, his sons, still run the shop and say it's a place where Hajara will always be revered for his name recall abilities and sense of humour.

"He was so well-known and I bump into people in town who knew him and want to talk about what he meant to them and I'm always happy to. It's great to know he was so well-loved.

"We all miss him. He is in our thoughts every single day."

Earlier this year, Babsy got a tattoo on his arm to pay tribute to his father, noting he'd be able to hold his boy in one arm, knowing "my old man is always there on the other arm".