Someone Else has found us

  "EDDY VANE’S PHOTOS": 

The Young Lady holding the tea set in the picture above is my mother Shirley Lenthall who sadly passed away in November 2013

Steve Lenthall 

Nice to hear from you Steve although sorry to hear that you lost your Mum a year ago. She must have been a good age.

Was your Dad Doug Lentell, I remember that name and I think he worked with my Dad, Percy Boyce.

Is this the photo you meant, a very beautiful lady.

I recognise  Eddy Vane and Dave Laughton but not the others. If you have any Ilminster photos we would love to see them if you could email them to me.

Another gone But not forgotten

FROM PETER WESTMACOTT

Reading through the Summervale blog recently, I was greatly saddened to hear of George Brown's passing.  A lovely man and a real gentleman. I was so pleased to have seen him again at the Summervale reunion in 2012.
 
I have some sad news too.  My mother (Joan) passed away on 11th August in Berkshire. She was 91, a good age. In the last few years she had been suffering from dementia and it affected her badly.  I would appreciate it if you would mention this on the blog as I know she knew so many people in the Paignton and Ilminster areas.  If you still have that lovely photo of her and we three boys sitting with her in my grandparents' garden, you could publish it if you like.
 
So two more Summervalians have left us .........

Peter,

 I could only find the photo already posted so I have copied it and hope it is of reasonable quality. I remember your Mum had a lovely smile and was very pretty.

RIP JOAN.

GEORGE BROWN

Dear Jean

I wonder if you could put on the Summervale site that Dad died 26th August and that his funeral will be on Monday 8th September at 10.30am at Torquay Crematorium and afterwards at th Palace Hotel Paignton.

He was in hospital for three weeks after a fall at home.

A hard act to follow.

Love from

Marion, Joan and Irene (nee Brown)


So sorry to hear this news but what a wonderfully long life he had and mostly in good health.
I will remember him trudging over Britton's  field carrying a huge tree trunk with my dad and they both had roll up's in their mouths.

RIP George and my condolences to the girls and their families.

Message from John Hodgson

I'm John Hodgson,now aged 86 so it,s unlikely you would remember me.We lived at 25.What you may remember are some of my unconventional vehicles.jah

John lived at no. 25 next door to the Durhams. Much older than me he is now 86 but by the miracle of the Internet he has found us.
I am hoping to hear more from him but if you have any memories of him please let me know.
Jean.

ADRIAN HOOKE R.I.P.

I  corresponded with Adrian many time over the years and he was a big fan of the Summervale Blog.

He was keen to attend the reunion and wanted dates so that he could book his tickets from America and get to Ilminster on the right day. 

He was a very clever man who spent most of his life working in the Space Industry both in Florida and California but he never forgot his humble roots in a prefab in Ilminster.

Then I heard he was not well enough to travel.

Today I came across his Obituary.

Adrian Hooke

By Marc Boucher on January 31, 2013 10:59 AM.

Remembering Adrian

"We are sad to let you know that Adrian Hooke died on January 7. He was at home in Malibu with his wife. In his classic fashion, he continued his work on CCSDS and DTN right up through early December."

"Adrian was an admitted Space geek for 46 years. He worked on the Lunar Modules for Apollo 9, 10, 11, and 12, from 1966 to 1969. He was on the flight control teams for the Mariner 9 and 10 missions that visited Mars, Venus, and Mercury. He worked on Voyager and SEASAT, and in 1976-77 he spent a year at the European Space Agency helping with the Shuttle-SpaceLab program."

"Many kind notes are arriving from his colleagues and friends throughout the world. If you would like to do so, his wife Merle McKenzie is honored to receive your memories of him or his career. She is collecting thoughts from his colleagues to share with his children, Jen Hooke Beck and David Hooke."

If you like, you may contact her at:

Merle McKenzie

29660 Zuma Bay Way

Malibu, CA 90265

RIP ADRIAN. WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU AND THAT AMAZING RED HAIR WHICH HE INHERITED FROM HIS VERY GLAMOROUS MOTHER.

HERE IS A LOVELY PHOTO HE SENT ME WITH HIS DAD.

Photos from Paignton

I decided to give this Blog a rest for a while as it seemed that, after the reunion it was rather an anti climax.
I did not hear from anyone once the reunion photos had been posted so I shut the Blog down.
However, I recently heard from Roger Everson who sent me a couple of photos he had found.
They were taken in Paignton and I would think somewhere around the early 1960's.

A nice summery photo of, from left to right

Maimie Everson. Cissie Boyce. Rose Symons and Rose Wakeham.
BUT, Who is the girl????

And it looks as though the ladies were on their way to a party - see above.
At the back
Percy Boyce, blending in with the curtains, Michael Cooper but I don't recognise the other man.
Then we have
Maimie,  lady with a glass ?, my Mum,  Joan Wakeham and dear Shirley Hewitt who was married to Michael Cooper.
If you know those I cannot name please let me know.
I also recently heard from Diane (Mothersell) Friend who has moved recently.
Any news from anyone else would be very welcome.
Have a great Summer and enjoy this wonderful weather.
JJ.

Christmas Memories

What do you remember about your childhood Christmases?
What was your families routine on the big day?
I awoke to all my presents in a pillowcase at the bottom of my bed. Did you have a stocking? Did you have to wait for your presents until after dinner or after Church.
Did you go to Church?
Midnight  Mass.
Shepherds with crooks.
Christmas puddings with sixpences in.

What are your memories?
J