A Sad Day.....

We are here at the Stourbridge Crematorium to say farewell to my Mom Brenda, there is a good turn out even though she has out lived most of her friends.
The vicar did a cracking service and six of us (3 Sons, 2 Grandson and a Grandson in law) were the bearers form the hearse to the chapel where the service took place.
We went in to the sound of Vera Lynn, "We'll meet again", as this was one of Moms favourite war time songs, the vicar did his thing and then did a short history of my Mom which I will share with you all, I hope you take the time to read it.

6th April 1928 – 20th April 2015
Brenda was born in Quarry bank on 6th April 1928, she went to school locally and never ventured far from the area.
She left school at 14 and went to work in the bucket industry in and around the area, working in Quarry Bank, Lye, Cradley Heath and Stourbridge her first employer was Evesons.
She often told stories of what it was like in the war, when the air raids came and how the locals would huddle in the Anderson Shelters whist the bombs were dropping all around.
One night in particular she used to recall when a massive incendiary raid was going on and the Germans dropped land mines in Quarry bank while the family listened to the sounds all around.
She also would recall that the reservoir water level was reduced so the reflection of the moon wouldn’t give their positions away to the German air crews.
During the war she met the love of her life a very young Harry Gough, he was a sailor in the Royal Navy, serving on Landing craft ready for the D-Day landings, they met in the cinema when Harry put his feet up on the seats and got tangled in her hair, and it was love at first TUG.
Shortly after the war she was courting Harry and one day in 1946 she said her goodnight to him at a bus stop and was to see him again the next week but instead Harry must have got cold feet as it was another two years when they met again but this time he must have made an impression, as it was for life.

They Married on the 31st July 1948 and lived with Harry’s Mom and Dad in Coppice Ave , Wynall and there  in 1952 they had their first born, Ronald,  and as she was star struck with Lloyd Nolan an American Actor, she gave his second name as Lloyd. In 1956 they moved to Vicars Walk and all their possessions were transported on a wheel barrow from Coppice Ave and there in the years that followed Two more Sons were added to the family Graham and Kevin.
Brenda had various jobs in her life, Bucket Making where she used to spin the buckets and attach various bit to make a complete bucket, she mostly worked in the Lye, at Clancy’s, Perry and Brook, Stevens, Sergeant Turner  just to name but a few. She also did Field work, picking peas, potatoes and Mangles, of course she also went Hop Picking as this was seen as a holiday for all the family.
She also worked at the BSR making record players until the foreman upset her one day and she waved a screw driver by his nose telling him where he could stick his job.
After that she was an usher in the Odeon Cinema in Stourbridge where she could get her kids in with free passes.
The one story we all liked was when she was a cleaner for a very posh teacher, and as she was all alone with the pet Parrot, she managed to teach him some nice swear words in a proper Black County Accent, which amused the teacher greatly.
Her final job was working alongside of her Husband  Harry in their  Café, “Harry’s Takeaway” and after a few years finally they both retired.
The family always managed a holiday even though they were not well off, Ronald can always remember the tenting holiday in Rhyl, where in a two man tent the three of them slept and one night a Thunder storm almost swept them away.
Although afraid of flying and water she did managed a few holidays on the Norfolk Broad’s, and her last holiday with Harry was a cruise to the Canary isles although she never did get off the ship, and her husband Harry never did get her up in a plane.
Harry passed away just over 10 years ago and she found herself alone for the first time in her life, although her family were around with Grand Children and great Grand Children, she never really got over losing Harry and to her dying day always said she was a one man woman.
Her passion in life was her sessions at Bingo with her friends, Mary, Iris, Dee, Judy and Esther, she never missed a week right up until a few weeks ago, when she was taken ill.
She even managed to win a few times too.
She leaves her Three Sons, Three daughters in Laws, Six Grand Children and three Great Grand Children; she was always talking about them and at her bungalow was surrounded with the photos of them all.
I hope you liked her short life story.



After the service we carried her all the way back to the hearse for the short drive to the Graveside where once again the six of us carried Mom to her final resting place. Our funeral director was brilliant explaining everything that had to be done, once at the graveside My two brother and BMJnr lowered Mom into the grave, that was extremely hard thing for us to do, my youngest brother broke down just after and I had to comfort him, Mrs BM was broken hearted too.

Almost everyone came back to our house for the Wake, and a few left worse for wear and in the Pub later a few once again broke down with grief.

Mrs BM and I had a quite night in with tea and Cocoa.


Afte