Tower and Town, September 2016

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Family News

You may remember that Dorothy and Peter Blythe's grandson, Robert Henman, became European Kendama Champion last year. This year he successfully defended that title in Amsterdam. He also recently played in the world championship in Japan. The competition was too strong but he was declared the best ever young western player and won the flight to Japan to compete again next year.  Kendama is a challenging Japanese juggling game with a ball on a string. Robert is a student at St. John's.

Paul Smythe, former Epsom racehorse trainer, part of a famous family of jockeys and trainers, died at his home in Gales Ground, where he lived with his wife, June, and his brother-in-law, Ernie Newell; he was 79.  Born in Epsom, educated at Haileybury and commissioned into the Cameroons he served most of his National Service in Germany. The recession in 1975 was hard for trainers and so he wound up his business and joined the bookmakers, Coral. He came to Wiltshire in 1979 where he ran several Coral shops. He was a verger at St Mary's and Church Hall treasurer for a number of years. He is mourned by June, his two daughters, three grandchildren and  his sister, Ann, who lives in Houston, Texas.

Dennis Cripps' funeral was  in Ogbourne St. George Church because he was born in the village in 1933. He joined the Navy when he was 18 and his parents moved to Elm Tree Farm, Clatford.  He and Hope were married in 1956 and went to live in Malta for two and a half years. They had two sons, Stephen and the late Andrew. Dennis was a local postman and organised the postal delivery routes. Being a really keen footballer, he encouraged young players and became Secretary and then President of Marlborough Football Club. Hope said that they have thoroughly enjoyed looking after their granddaughter Ella, all through her school years,

St Thomas More Church was full for the funeral of Bernard Phillips who died suddenly at his home in Castle Court. His family were well supported by his masonic friends, the players from his many bridge clubs and customers from the days when he was manager of Lloyds Bank. He just missed his 80th birthday party which he had planned to be a 'fun' event at the Golf Club where he had been a member for many years. Our sympathy to his son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Sarah; also to his daughter Michelle, who lives in New Zealand and was unable to attend, and his granddaughters Jessica and Charlottes.

Audrey Peck