FAREWELL TO FRIENDS

Bill Vevers

Family, friends and many local farmers said goodbye to another of Hawkedons's older residents at a beautifully simple and straightforward service.  This service was a reflection of the man himself.

Bill Vevers, who died on 11th January aged 94, took over the running of Gallowgate Farm on the sudden death of the farm manager in 1947.  Since his grandfather had bought the farm some twenty years earlier, Bill had not anticipated doing more on the farm than enjoying his holidays in Suffolk and helping every year with the harvest; in the event, he moved with his family from Maidenhead to a completely different lifestyle in the rural countryside.  His engineering training was invaluable, and he became a pioneer as farming became more mechanised immediately after the war.  He certainly had one of the first tractors in the area, of which he was justly proud.  With his wife, Joan, he made a very positive contribution to the local community and will be missed by all.


Eric John Walter Dobson 15th November 1924 - 20th October 2016

Eric Dobson, who died in October aged 92, came to Hawkedon with his Mother as a 6 month old baby. For most of his life he lived in the cottage (now demolished) at the bottom of Lower Green adjoining Ford Cottage; only later moving to No2 Parsons Cottages. He attended Hawkedon School, was part of the choir at the church and as a keen, and good, sportsman played football and cricket (with notable success) for Hawkedon and later for Hartest and other local teams.

Called up in 1943, he served in the Wiltshire Regiment in the Middle East

and Egypt, and later took part in the Italian campaign. After the War he

took up work with the GPO, becoming the local postman based in Hartest.

Initially on a part-time basis, and later full-time, he cycled 28 miles

every day covering Hartest, Shimpling, Chadacre in the morning and in the

afternoon delivering to Boxted, Thurston End, Hawkedon, Somerton and back to Hartest. He was famous for always completing his round, whatever the

weather!

His life-long companion, and dear friend, Doreen Smith pre-deceased him, a

loss from which he never really recovered. Eric's death marks the end of an

era for the village, and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Jessica Eliza Louisa Marks 2^nd October 1911 - 8^th December 2016

Originally a Londoner, Jessica lived through both world wars in the capital. As a young woman she trained as a GPO operator. Her pleasant voice and good diction gained her a place in the finals of the competition to be the voice of TIM the speaking clock. She later worked as a telephonist for the famous London bookshop Bumpus. For much of her life, Jessica had been a ‘domestic goddess’ with a keen sense of fashion. She was a fabulous cook, and always managed to make the most of a restricted income. Despite living through years of war, rationing and austerity, Jessica and her beloved husband Ted regularly took their annual holiday touring around Europe by car.

After the death of her husband, Jessica spent the last thirty-odd years of her life living in Hawkedon, being cared for by her daughter Stephany. As the years went by, Jessica’s care needs increased, and Stephany was supported with a band of regular professional carers. Jessica’s visitors would always be rewarded by one of her fabulous smiles. She was very proud to have reached the age of 100, and somewhat surprised to have to lived to 105! She died not long after celebrating her 105^th birthday.