Tower and Town, July 2015

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Family News

Jeremy Walsh was Rector here from 1966 to 1976 and celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination on 31st May (Trinity Sunday). After St Mary's he was Archdeacon of Ipswich (which is where he retired to) and then Bishop of Tewkesbury. David Chandler sent Jeremy and his wife, Cynthia, a card signed by about twenty people who knew and had worked with them .

Lilli Loveday and Kebba Jatta married in The Gambia in April 2012 and on 23rd May they had their marriage blessed in St Mary's Church where Lilli had been christened and confirmed.

The service was attended by friends and family from far and near and was followed by a traditional English tea party and an African themed BBQ complete with drumming and dancing.

They will make their home in Oxford where they both work.

Sheila Hanson has some good news to share! Her youngest son Rupert was married to Harriet Titmus (from Upper Upham near Aldbourne) in a small civil ceremony on 8th May in Bristol, where the couple met and live, although they both went to St John's School. Rupert is a site manager working for a Wiltshire building contractors, while Harriet works in human resources at Bristol University. They had a short honeymoon in Cornwall and were keen to get back to their border terrier puppy.

Sheila is retiring from education this July, after many years working in Wiltshire and Swindon schools, latterly with blind and visually impaired children and young people. She is looking forward to being a Granny as her middle son Tom, who is a GP in Devon, and his wife Flo (nee Ev erson) a speech therapist at the West of England school for the blind in Exeter, are expecting their first baby in September.

Derrick Fry. Karen Smithers writes about her late father. Born in Kingston St. Michael he came to Marlborough aged 9 months. He h ad two brothers, John and Phillip and a half sister Emily. From St. Peter’s Boys’ School, now the library, he won a scholarship for the Grammar School but he chose to work and support his mother. His father had died from a work related injury at the High Level station in Marlborough. He married Mum, Prudence, at Preshute where he was buried alongside his father. He died just before their 64th wedding anniversary. He was a painter and decorator, well known for his sign writing at Hilliers the builders, who also owned Marlborough cinema and he worked evenings as a projectionist. He joined Marlborough cycling club and cycled the length and breadth of England. His great love was music which he played by ear, playing with many musicians and hi s brothers forming their own band ‘The Fry Brothers Trio’. In retirement he did charity work in the town and played music at the old folk’s homes. His family, Rosalind, Karen, Dawn and Harry fondly remember how he loved his gardening and his greenhouses. Karen said losing his sig ht never stopped him in any way; we often found him up a ladder sorting out the gutters. Our deep sympathy to Prudence and all the family, including their 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Robert Henman, a pupil at St Johns, recently became the UK Kendama Champion at a competition in West London. Robert is the grandson of Peter & Dorothy Blythe and the son of Richard Henman and Louise Blythe and lives in Manton Hollow. He has competed several t imes in England and in Europe, but this was his first overall victory. His ambition now is to compete in the World Championships in Japan. Kendama is a form of Japanese jugglin g, and requires considerable co-ordination, dexterity and concentration.