Tower and Town, July 2016

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Family News

Neil Stevens, son of Mr David and Mrs Wendy Stevens of Upper Isbury, delivered an information-packed lecture 'The Yanks in the Kennet Valley' to a crowded meeting of the History Society on May 19th. He has been researching the subject for almost 30 years, has collected photos, artefacts and uniforms, attended reunions in the US and arranged reunions for US veterans here in Marlborough. It all started because his great aunt Tina Rogers was a GI bride. She was one of seven siblings and three sisters who lived at 66 High St. where Crosby & Lawrence now is. She settled happily in Portland, Oregon in the U.S.A. but kept in close contact with her Marlborough relatives, returning once in the 1960s. She passed away in the late 1990s.

Neil showed a photo of Joan (nee Head) and Oscar Fulk, the first GI wedding couple here and he was surprised and pleased when he realised that their daughter, Sarah, had been in the audience and wanted to speak to him.

Jeanne Morris was born in Kingsbury St where the flower shop is now 91 years ago. Sadly she died recently. During the war she manned a phone to report emergencies in the town. She married and had three sons, Andrew, Stuart and Melton Curtis, eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She loved to travel, visiting Germany with her husband to see where he had been as a prisoner of war, and enjoying many trips with her second husband, Dick Morris, including to Russia and the USA. She spent her final years in the comfort of Coombe End Court. Our sincere sympathy to all the family.

Connie Gough died in May aged 92. She was always very active and sociable, doing her own decorating and driving her car to the shops until a few months ago. She was a Cheshire girl and met Jim in Kent when he was in the REME and she in the ATS. They married and came to Marlborough where Jim started a business called Fringevision and later ran Marlborough Furnishings in the Parade with two partners. She was a keen member of the Townswomen's Guild and helped to run the Over Sixties Lunches in the Town Hall. Her children, Helena, twins David and Irene, and Graham and their families, including eight grandchildren, celebrated her life at St. Georges Church, Preshute on May 24th.  

Margaret Smith, 23, Castle Court, has had a very eventful family time recently. A great grandson, Edward, was born on May 20th, second son of Charlotte and Gareth. Margaret's grandson, Mark, married his fiancée, Kayleigh, at Ufton Court, Reading on June 3rd. The guests included the bride's mother who had travelled from Australia. Mark’s sister, Alice, has just announced her engagement.

Audrey Peck