Tower and Town, March 2021 (view the full edition)Family NewsIan and Tina Mellor of Farrar Drive are delighted at the birth of their 4th grandson, Jasper, on 28th January 2021, to son Ewan and daughter-in-law Sara, in Warwickshire. Ewan and his younger sister are former pupils of the old Kingsbury Hill House School on Kingsbury Street. Anthea Haydon died on January 10th at the age of 101. Rosamund Stokes writes: Anthea was born in 1919. Her life was devoted to her loving family and to what she called her extended family, a community of friends. She found great pleasure in having those friends around a table, breaking bread together well fortified by the grain and the grape, exchanging news and views, perhaps followed by a couple of rubbers of good natured, but very competitive bridge. Her well-nurtured garden in Marlborough was an ongoing source of colourful inspiration, productivity and peace; as was Fowey, the seaside retreat much loved by Anthea and her husband Peter over many decades. Apart from humankind, she had a unique affinity with dogs, both her own and those she befriended, especially Pekingese, the imperial dogs of China. "Little faces like pansies", she said. Above all Anthea loved life and the living of it which she generously shared with so many during her long life's journey. Simon Eveleigh died on January 29th at the age of 74. David Du Croz and Rob Dean write: Simon was widowed young, and was absolutely devoted to the two young daughters, Sophie and Emma, he raised alone. He was proud of his achievement and the successful women they grew into. He was especially delighted to become a grandfather and regaled anyone he could with photos of his grandson. After a successful career as estates bursar at Marlborough College, Simon devoted much of his time in retirement to two local charities: The Kennet and Avon Trust as branch chairman, boatmaster, and boat manager; and St Peter's Church as trustee and surveyor. In the former, Simon's energy seemed never ending and he was often at the boatyard or in the Trust sheds, checking and organising equipment and paperwork. He was always generous with his time and when thanked for the immense effort he put in would reply with a grin, "it fills the time between getting up and going to bed". Simon was fun to be with and few could resist the wide-beam smile of this gentle giant. But he also took his professional responsibilities as a skipper and boat manager very seriously. His immense charm ensured a day on his boat was serious fun. He also loved a social occasion and could be relied on to organise great events. In the latter, for the past ten years he has been an invaluable member of council, providing expert advice about the maintenance of the building, its fixtures and fittings, on the back of his vast experience in his previous job. Whether it was finding scaffolders, dealing with contractors, or shinning up a twenty-foot ladder to clear a blocked gutter, nothing was too much trouble for him. Just as importantly, he did it always with such easy good grace that made the task seem far less onerous than it actually was. The annual trustees' spring-clean between Christmas and New Year became an enjoyable chore in Simon's company.  Richard Clapp lost his life following a heart attack on February 1st at the age of 90. Alison Galvin-Wright writes: Richard studied for an engineering degree at Imperial College, London, followed by a PhD in nuclear power, and then worked for CEGB developing power stations. He married Susan and they had four sons and a daughter. In 1991, following early retirement, Richard became involved with the Merchant's House Trust and, with Sir John Sykes, worked for the following thirty years on the programme of conservation of the iconic 17th century house on the High Street, belonging to silk merchant, Thomas Bayly. Richard used his skills on many projects and his practical involvement, advice and ready help were greatly appreciated. He started as a shop volunteer, became a trustee, shop director and guide, and keenly preserved the authenticity of anything done to the fabric of the Merchant's House. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Jessy Pomfret |