Ethel, his wife was born to Ruben and Mary Wildish at Overshore Cottages, Overshore, The Wharf, Upchurch. She like Reg was to live in the Parish all her life.
Evelyn had a very happy childhood in the care of her two loving parents, enjoying the freedom to roam as she grew older in what was then an idyllic rural environment.
Both Ethel and Reginald are laid to rest in St.Mary’s churchyard/cemetery, Upchurch, as are each of Evelyn’s grand parents.
The Teen Years
Holidays
as a child and a young teenager were often spent either at her auntie Ivy and
uncle Bert Bishop’s home at the agricultural college at Hextable or with her
uncle Bill Champion and Evelyn’s grandmother Champion at Wimbledon. Her
grandmother living there to help bring up Bill’s two sons as his wife had died
at a fairly young age.
Following her early schooling in Upchurch, Evelyn
continued into her secondary education at Rainham School for Girls, Orchard
Street, leaving there at the age of 16 to work as a book keeper and cashier at
Rix’s Furniture and Hardware Store in Gillingham High Street
Rix’s
was a respected and well-supported family run business of the old school. Mr.
Rix was a fair and generous
employer, subsidising each year a trip to the coast for the staff, their family
or close friends. Sometimes a visit to a London show, and always a Christmas
Dinner and Dance, usually held at the Central Hotel Gillingham. Each member of
the staff received a Christmas
gift from their employer.
Her
closest friends came mainly from the village, and included her next door
neighbour Margaret Everest, Mary Barden who lived at ‘Pendene’ in Horsham Lane,
and a Pat Simmons who lived in the bungalow opposite the Brown Jug Pub. Evelyn
had accompanied her to see a young man singing during the interval at the Ritz
cinema, Chatham. It was that boy who was one day to become her husband.
From Teen to
Adulthood
Around
about 1952/3 Evelyn became members of the Hartlip Tennis Club, and Hartlip
Youth Club. She with other friends would cycle to the village hall in Hartlip
to attend club nights once a week, and dances run by local organisations. These
were good times, and Evelyn built up many close friendships, many of who remain
her close and valued friends even to this day. These were good and carefree
times for those living in Upchurch and around because of the friendly and
active communities.
It
was at the Hartlip youth club that Evelyn met, courted and became engaged to
Bryan Veale from Newington in January 1957, marrying at St.Mary’s Church,
Upchurch on Saturday 9th August 1958. Bryan by this time was a
serving Merchant Navy Engineer Officer with the Union-Castle Line, but owing to
dockworker strikes in South Africa he was in danger of not arriving back to the
UK in time for his wedding to Evelyn. Fortunately, schedule changes to the
ship’s ports of call allowed the ship to arrive back to London just three days
before their wedding.
Following
Bryan’s service in the Merchant Navy, and the years which followed in which he
became a Commissioning Engineer, and later a manager with Fisher Controls often
took him away for long periods. In his absence Evelyn had the responsibility of
overseeing the many responsibilities of running the family home and caring for
their children. She undertook these tasks both willingly, and certainly very
efficiently. This dedication and skill was to be her hallmark throughout her
life.
In
the early part of 1959 E.C
Gransden and Sons commenced the building of their new house opposite the church in Horsham
Lane, and was completed and ready for occupation in the November of that same
year. It was an exciting time for them both. Evelyn of course was still working
at Rix’s, a family furniture and iron mongers business in Gillingham, and both
of them had been saving to meet the costs of deposit and mortgage. In those
days only the husband’s salary was considered for mortgage loans, and did not
allow overtime/bonus payments as in the calculations of today. The house was
named ‘Cedarstones’ because of the cedarwood and Kent Rag-stone features.
On
the 20th October 1961 Evelyn gave birth to their first baby, Mark
Jonathan. Bryan was present at the birth at their home, the midwife being Nurse
Harris. It was a wonderful moment. Mark was certainly a beautiful baby, and
gave them both so much happiness and pride. Two years later on the 1st
November 1963 Evelyn gave birth to Andrew Timothy. Andrew, like his brother was
to mature into a much loved and very caring son.
Wives Group
In
1960 Evelyn became a member of the Young Wives Group, which was then led by
Phillada Bradshaw, the wife of the Vicar the Rev. J. McNeil (Mac) Bradshaw.
When
the Rev Keith Chare became Vicar his wife Barbara agreed to take the
leadership, and upon her retirement in 1981 Evelyn was invited to become the
leader a post that she retained until retiring in 2008.
The Church Choir
Her
parents Reginald and Ethel Champion were practising Christians, both attending
St. Mary’s Church in the village. It was they who encouraged Evelyn to join the
church choir at the age of eleven in December 1947. She was to remain as a
regular member for the next 55 years, and was the longest serving member in
living memory, and continued to be willing to assist when invited.
She
was blessed with a lovely soprano voice, and even after her retirement
continued to be invited to sing solo’s (particularly by former choristers at
their weddings).
The
Church choir was to play an important part in the lives of both Evelyn and her
husband Bryan. He became choirmaster for period of 37 years, with both finally
retiring in Dec 2001. Between them they encouraged and supported so many young
people to enjoy music. They encouraged a great social side for the choristers,
walks and picnics in the summer, and the popular Christmas parties in their
home.
During 70’s, 80’s and 90’s the choir
membership remained in excess of 20 choristers and senior members, and
maintained a high standard.
Upchurch Choral Society
(2014)
Up
to her death Evelyn and Bryan were the sole remaining founder members of the
U.C.S., the choir being formed in 1967 by the Rev. MacNeil Bradshaw and Tom
Rider the husband of Doris Rider the then organist at St.Mary’s. The choir has continued presenting two/three
concerts each year. The choir’s first concert was the amalgamation of the
Church and Women’s Institute choirs. Evelyn remained an influential member and
was for many years its Chairman.
Evelyn
was also, together with Bryan a long serving member of the Sittingbourne
Orpheus Choral Society.
She
was a tireless worker in her community and for her church, and will be
remembered for the hours she spent raising funds for her church by organising
and manning a stall at local ‘Boot Fares’, and for being one of the main
organisers of the monthly ‘Porch
Sale’ at St.Mary’s.
She
will also be remembered for her work and happy disposition whilst working at
‘The Barn Yard’
Her family and friends
Evelyn
placed great value and importance to her family. She loved her parents dearly,
and extended this love to Bryan’s family. All her six nieces and nephews
received birthday cards each year up to their 21st birthday, and
their children in turn were remembered similarly up their 18th
birthday.
The
birth of her grand children Ashley and Taylor brought her great joy, and the
early death of her first grandchild Aaron great sadness. A day never went by
without her speaking of them, and her trips to Italy to see them were such joy
and so much looked forward to.
A Worrying Time
In
March 2011 Evelyn was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in her right kidney.
The operation to remove the kidney was undertaken at the Darenth Valley
Hospital, Dartford in the April by Mr.Marsh and was a complete success. Andrew
flew from Italy to be with his parents and was a wonderful support at this very
worrying time. Evelyn’s progress following the operation continued to be good,
allowing her to travel to Italy with Bryan in the following June.
In
late 2012 further cancerous tumours were diagnosed and a process of
radio-therapy followed by chemotherapy was commenced. In spite of the many awful side effects she suffered Evelyn
maintained a positive attitude, never complaining and would never allow herself
to be seen suffering in public continuing to take part in the many activities
she enjoyed.
She
even took up ‘short mat’ bowls in the village and at Newington, which she
really enjoyed.
On
Sunday 13th April 2014 Evelyn experienced terrible abdominal pain
and was admitted to Medway Maritime Hospital. Her condition deteriorated and on
Wednesday the 16th April at 6.15am Evelyn died in the arms of her
loving Bryan.
She
was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved people, and had many
friends. She never sought thanks or favours in anything she did. She was, in
every sense a beautiful woman, a true Saint, loved by all, and deeply mourned
by those so privileged to have known her.
Goodnight
my sweetheart.
“Granddad
asked us to write just a few words about our grandma, but what can we say that
you don’t already know.
Warming,
loving, cheerful, radiant, firm, a little stubborn too, strong, enduring, full
of energy, respectful and respected.
It’s
impossible to even try to begin to express the impact she has had on us, but
here are just a few thoughts that came to mind.
Our Grandma!
An
exceptional person. She taught us many many things, some of which, how to love,
how to be patient, how to be positive and never give up, and most of all, how
to make a great Gin & Tonic.
She
had a special way with people, not just her family but everyone, making you
feel somebody, because she really did care.
She
always spoiled us grandchildren with her cooking when we visited; finishing
every meal with a sweet of some kind, her fantastic crumbles and pies, and her
wonderful Yorkshire puddings that dad has tried in vain to rival but with
little success.
One
of our favourite memories of grandma was at Christmas. Every year the same
scene would repeat itself. While
waiting for the turkey to cook we would all open a couple of presents, each
waiting to see what the other had been given, and then the time would come when
grandma and granddad would give us their presents, and as we opened them, right
on cue granddad would say, “ooohhhhhh well that’s nice, who gave you that”?
quickly followed up by Grandma giving him a slap saying “we did Bryan, we did”.
We all knew she was in charge of Christmas, come to that, in charge of just
about everything. And we loved watching granddad getting told off every year
and grandma pretending to be angry.
Silly memories but ones
that we will always remember and laugh about.”
Bryan Veale.
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