REMEMBERING JOAN - PINKTOBER 30

Mr. HCB’s mother, Joan, or to give her her full name, Phyllis Evelyn Joan, was born in 1913 and died in 1996, 23 years ago.  She lived to see her great-grandson, Harry, who was born in 1995 and her great-granddaughter, Charlotte, who was born in September 1996, a few weeks before she died, but sadly never saw her great-grandson, Joshua, born in 1999.

Joan was a lovely lady - very gentle and kind - although she could be very firm when necessary.  She loved her home and garden, which she and her beloved husband, Harry, had created and tended together before he died in 1977.  Joan liked nothing better than to go out into the garden, snip off a few dead flowers, tidy round, have a good sweep-up and then have a bonfire at the bottom of the garden.    

Apparently, there were no actual laws about lighting bonfires, but there were laws about the nuisance they could cause, so if Joan was going to light hers, she would call out to the neighbours if she saw they had washing on their line, but often wouldn't light one until after 7 p.m.  This was, of course, before the advent of tumble driers when most people hung their washing out on the line to dry. 

It was a well-known story in Swindon that because many of the posts, which were previously old boiler tubes that held up washing lines, came from the Railway Works, when the hooter blew, they all leaned towards the railways - well, that’s what Mr. HCB always says.

Mr. HCB will tell you that his Mum was a wonderful cook and made the most amazing fruit cakes, sponges, pastry and trifles and whenever you visited her, you were always invited to have a slice of something.  Her “signature dish” was a pastry base with jam and stewed apple and then topped with custard - one of Mr. HCB’s favourites.  Our boys, Martyn and Julian, and all her other grandchildren used to love going to see her - and especially liked to have a sweet out of the tin she kept in a cupboard, before they left.  We are all so “sugar conscious” these days that I’m sure Grandmas don’t do that now, but it was a real treat for many children in the 1970s and 1980s, when there weren’t as many sweet treats around.

Joan was also very industrious, having been a seamstress in her working days - and was always on hand to take up a skirt or a pair of trousers if needed.  She often bought an item of clothing and completely altered how it looked, such were her wonderful sewing skills.  I sometimes wish I had kept her Singer treadle sewing machine after she died, but I could never master the art of using it, despite being shown many times!

We still miss Joan after all these years and think of her with love and deep affection, especially today, so these Japanese Anemones are in honour of her life and for BCAM.  She had breast cancer in the 1980s and then for a second time in 1996 and died peacefully in hospital on the 30th October.  Thank you, Joan, for all the lovely memories we have of you.  

Please join me during 
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
By clicking HERE
So that those who are not able to pay
Can have a free mammogram. 

“I am determined 
     to move forward and
          turn my experience
               into something positive.”
Roxanne Martinez : Cancer fighter