" if he left something downstairs after having gone up to bed, he would tramp down the stairs swearing loudly at every step"
I first met him on a flight of stairs in the '70's - he was coming up 3 stories (no lift) on his own having to swing his legs in a great arc for each step. It looked (and I'm sure it was) extremely uncomfortable and painful. He stopped to let me go down but the look on his face suggested that anything other than a short nod and the politest of "good morning' Sir" would have led to instant death.