During his long life, Edric “Socci” Pearman, was a consummate storyteller, bringing to life St George’s as it was a century ago. His son, Michael Pearman, loved hearing those stories. One of his favourites was about when Socci and his friend pilfered a bottle of sparkling wine at age 11, then woke up the neighbours with their raucous singing, including one vexed police constable.

There was another story about playing baseball with Babe Ruth, and another tale about his first date with his future wife, Joyce, Michael’s mother.

“My father had no farewell story at the end of his life,” Michael said. “He used to joke that some of us were going to live for ever, and he might even be here to see Christ’s coming. He remained cheerful and positive up until the end of his life. His memory stayed sharp. I wish my memory was as sharp as his was.”

On January 20, 2022, Socci died a few days short of his 105th birthday, but lives on through his stories.

In 2015, Michael turned his father’s sometimes tall tales into a book: Socci: Boy to Man ― A St George’s Tale.

“My dad was tickled pink when it first came out,” Michael said. “He got a lot of positive feedback. The mayor at the time e-mailed him and said it had brought back a lot of fond memories for him.”

Now, three years after Socci’s death, the Pearman family has released a tenth anniversary edition of the book.

The first time the book was released 300 copies were snatched up in a heartbeat. With this publishing round the Pearmans have printed 150 paperback copies and 50 hardback.

“The book contains 32 stories of my dad’s life,” said Michael, 71. “They go from the 1920s when he was a young boy up until the end of the Second World War.”

The stories in the book are short, and can be read over a cup of coffee.

“Young people seemed to really love it,” Michael said. “Once, I was at the gas station in St David’s and had my father in the car.”

A young boy started to pump gas for them. Michael introduced his dad, saying he was over 100 years old, and they had written a book together. The boy said he liked to read and asked for the title of the book.

“I told him it was called Socci: Boy to Man, and he said his dad had bought the book, and he had already read it. He was very excited to meet my father.”

With this release, the stories are all the same, but with a couple of additions. When the book first came out the cover was a mystery to some readers. It shows a little boy standing next to a man in a sailor’s. People wanted to know who the little boy was.

“A lot of people guessed that it was me standing next to my dad,” Michael said. “It was not. This edition of the book clears up who the two people are on the cover.”

It also has some information about Socci’s genealogy and life.

Socci grew up in St George’s, the oldest of eight children. His father, Joseph Pearman, known as Captain, was a blacksmith who built boats and ran chartered boat tours.

From an early age, Socci would navigate the boat while his father talked with tourists.

“He would say ‘watch them shoals, boy’,” Socci said in an interview when he turned 100.

He never had much schooling, because his father would often pull him from class to help with tours.

At 15, he became a bellhop at the Bermudiana Hotel.

“My father was furious,” Socci said. “He thought I would be corrupted.”

His mother, Maude, was more supportive.

When the Second World War erupted, Socci joined the Navy, and often helped guide Navy ships in to port, sometimes in very dangerous conditions.

“I don’t like to brag, but I used to a handsome cat back then,” he said in 2012, with his trademark wit. “I used to beat the girls off with a stick.”

Socci and Joyce had eight children: Shirley Blakeney, Aleathea Rabain, Constance Simmons, Irene Paynter and Joanne, Christine, Michael and Kenneth Pearman.

The latest version of Socci: Boy to Man includes an updated dedication. It reads: “This tenth anniversary year edition of the book Socci: Boy to Man, is dedicated to all who knew and loved him. He was born Edric Joseph Pearman on July 20, 1917 and died on January 20, 2022, at the age of 104. His lovely wife Joyce died on May 22, 2016. May they rest in peace until paradise.”

The latest edition also has a map of St George’s in the 1920s, and a key to match some of Socci’s stories.

It is Michael’s hope that the book inspires other people to write down their family stories.

“Life is too short for us to lose our memories,” he wrote in the book.

Michael also wants the book to be an educational tool.

“A lot of today’s young people do not know St George’s history,” Michael said. “My father was like a memory bank.”

Michael worked for the Bermuda Telephone Company for 47 years before retiring. His father was a tremendous influence on his life.

“I lived on the water with my dad,” Michael said.

He followed his dad around and did what his dad did, not realising that he was learning things in the process.

“I attended the Churchill School in Bermuda, which was a trade school, and I could do just about anything with my hands,” Michael said.

When it came to writing the book, however, he had no experience.

“Fortunately, I had a lot of schooling with the religious group that I am involved with Jehovah’s Witnesses,” Michael said. “We have a theocratic school. I knew how to read and write before, but they really advanced my story telling skills.”

• Socci: Boy to Man is available at Brown & Co, the Bermuda Bookstore, and at the Fly Phone kiosk in the Washington Mall in Hamilton