Allesley New Fourth at the Foundry : 無料・フリー素材/写真
Allesley New Fourth at the Foundry / amandabhslater
| ライセンス | クリエイティブ・コモンズ 表示-継承 2.1 |
|---|---|
| 説明 | Four more photos for the Allesley Bell Restoration Archive.Not my photographs.The FourthJanet Isolde was the daughter of Esther May and George William Reid and older sister to Roger; she had a roaming childhood, one that followed her father’s profession as a bronze-founder, manufacturing propellers with Cammell Laird during the Second World War. In later years he was involved in founding the statue of Robert the Bruce which stands on the site of the Battle of Bannockburn and managed the casting of one of Henry Moore’s famous sculptures. Janet had a strong artistic streak, which she inherited from George. However she followed a nursing career, a more reliable choice than the art school of which she had always dreamed. Her artistic talents were later channelled into painting, pottery, needlework and an amazing cookery expertise. She also ensured her offspring became proficient musicians, actors and of course, bell ringers.Eventually, Janet’s parents settled in the beautiful village of Prestbury in Gloucestershire (ignoring the fact that it is allegedly the most haunted village in England). Janet loved the area, as did we as children – much happy laughter, many country walks and bruised knees were enjoyed with the Grandparents and Janet’s younger brother, Roger.Janet adored her younger brother; we just thought he was a really cool Uncle in his yellow Cortina GT. Roger became another father figure as Janet enthusiastically ensured he missed no family party or occasion. Thanks to Janet, Roger remains an essential part of the family glue left when Janet died and he is now another much adored “grandparent” to the next generation. Roger is even referred to as “Uncle Roger” by many outside our family.Janet met and nursed our father Ian when he was suffering from influenza during the pandemic of 1957. Janet was a nurse and Ian a doctor at Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham. After marrying in Prestbury Church on 9 September 1961 Janet and Ian moved to Sheffield. A year later they were celebrating the arrival of Richard Ian Marcus. I note, with interest, that the most common recollection of Sheffield from the family and particularly Janet was that ‘Sheffield was jolly cold’ – enough said.In 1963 the family moved to the ‘relatively’ warmer climes of Coventry. Jane Amanda followed very soon after and I, Fiona Louise, arrived some time later. I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have had the benefit and protection of two older siblings (leaving aside, that is, the Dreyfusian miscarriage of justice surrounding the theft of the last Toffo – I know and you know who you are).Janet’s love of Prestbury and the English countryside lead to many wonderful cottage holidays in idyllic locations taking every family member she could, a tradition Roger has enthusiastically continued. Every year the family (Roger, Ian, the children, their spouses and grandchildren) gather for an “Octoberfest” or “Summerfest” or “Some-other-fest”. During these occasions we all think of Janet and quietly toast and thank her for her profound influence on our daily lives. Janet supported all the family in their many exploits. So when her daughter Jane followed her own footsteps by receiving the Queen’s Guide award and later when we waved Jane into Buckingham Palace to receive her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award she beamed with great pride. In fact, as a Girl Guide, Janet was one of a chosen few who in the mid-1950s went to the Scout and Guide World Jamboree in Sweden, which was a superb recognition of her commitment to Guiding.Janet gave me tremendous support in many of my musical exploits. That was no mean feat, including, as it did, traipsing up to London every week for music lessons. Her commitment played a huge part in my gaining entry into Oxford to read music. Equally, her willingness to act as guinea pig for my compositions probably saved the world from untold aural pain.I have (rather ‘green-eyed monster’) memories of Janet’s loving baking and careful ‘stuffing’ of Richard’s ‘tuck box’ as he bounded off to boarding school for another year of canoeing, local beer pursuits and ‘techy-stuff’ that are still a mystery to me Ian has been an avid bell ringer since 1948 and Janet took up the hobby by his side, allowing her musicality to show. Ian joined the Allesley bell ringers in 1963 and became Tower Captain in 1988. From Janet’s perspective this meant a lot of “no help with Sunday lunch”. That said, the legendary lunches were perhaps better for one less interruption.As the youngest of three I am the hopelessly bad bell-ringer in a family of experts, including Emily, Janet’s first grandchild. Thus I spent much of my childhood sitting in the belfry at Allesley pursuing the alternative hobby of people watching and reading. An abiding memory of Janet was her ‘bell favouritism’. Many a time I witnessed a ‘sprint for the fourth’. On questioning, Janet would explain that “the fourth is just so much nicer than the treble” and that “it struck well”. In fact, I cannot remember Janet ringing any other bell in the tower! Janet died in 1995 after a long illness, which was a time of deep struggle for us all. Looking back, however, it is not the illness or the sadness that is our lasting memory of Janet; it is Janet’s love, vitality, patience, caring and laughter that lingers. Janet’s legacy lives on through her husband, Ian, her brother Roger, son Richard, daughters Jane and Fiona, daughter-in-law Bronagh, sons-in-law Nigel and Andrew and grandchildren Emily, Kate, Pierce, Tristan and Rory – just enough to squeeze into one house for a good old party.There is no doubt that Ian’s dedication of the fourth bell to Janet’s memory is the most touching demonstration not only of just how wonderful Janet was but also of the long lasting love that remains in Ian’s and her family’s hearts. Janet’s ashes are interred in her mother’s grave in Prestbury. Ian and Janet were married on 9 September 1961. The new 4th bell dedicated to Janet Isolde Thompson was first struck in the Allesley parish church tower on 11 August 2011, 50 golden years later. Fiona Macnab (née Thompson) |
| 撮影日 | 2011-05-14 21:52:42 |
| 撮影者 | amandabhslater , Coventry, West Midlands, UK |
| タグ | |
| 撮影地 | Loughborough, England, United Kingdom 地図 |