Tower and Town, December 2015 (view the full edition)Family NewsTony Gray is to marry the bridesmaid at his first wedding, in Royal Wootton Basset on Nov 18th. Mary came to train as a nurse at Savernake in her teens and was a close friend of the late Mary Gray. Tony is well known to many as the proprietor of the famous Ducks Toy Shop, as Town Mayor in 1972 and again in 1990, and Chairman of Kennet District Council from 1984-7. It is good to see he has recovered from a recent illness and we wish them both a wonderful day and a long and happy marriage. Wishing Rosemary Spiller happiness in her new home off the High Street. She says it is a very friendly community and a perfect situation for her family to visit. Mary Claridge, Alec Light and I are very grateful for the essential help from our families in running the Car Boot Sales on the Common. We raised £5,500 during the year for the Air Ambulance. Dr Lillian Forddied, aged 92, in October. She was an engaging character, had travelled widely e.g. Norway, Mexico, China, Alaska and Antarctica and was well informed on international affairs. She grew up in Seattle in the Great Depression, studied medicine, was a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science. After serving as a Lieutenant in the US Women's Army Corps in WW II she came to England as a paediatrician in London, Birmingham and Wiltshire. Her two brothers live in the USA but good friends supported her during her final year. Pauline and Roger Smith, near neighbours in River Park, were especially kind. Friends are celebrating her life at St. George's Preshute on Nov 18th. At the thanksgiving service for Joan Cowley's life in St Mary's on November 12th friends and family remembered the practical, compassionate and fun-loving person who had taken Marlborough to her heart about sixty years ago when she and David got married. Born near Rochdale her family moved to Swindon where she passed for the Grammar School and was rewarded with a new bicycle. She trained at Clacton-on-Sea, met David at a Scouting weekend and became a teacher at the Grammar School here. She loved family life and enjoyed her pets. We remember her organising Music and Movement for 3-5 year olds in the Church Hall but she had many interests and hobbies. She supported the Church of England Children's Society, and enjoyed caravanning, W.I., flower arranging. and sports. Our sincere sympathy to David, James and Helen. They would like to thank everyone who attended, and would like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped to arrange the service, making it a lovely way to say goodbye. Kath Allright has died. She was a long standing and highly respected member of Christchurch. Our sympathy to her family and to Christchurch members. More about Kath in the next Tower and Town. Audrey Peck |