Sheila Irene Smith
May 17, 2019 2:57 pm | by admin | Posted in Tributes
Sheila Irene Smith ( 17/09/1932 – 16/03/2019 ), born in Brooke End Potton to Sydney and Winifred Duffin, Sister to Mary.
Her mother took the family to the Wesley Chapel, and after a disagreement St Mary’s Potton became their family church.
Sheila attended Potton School, and at an early age set her heart on becoming a pharmacist. With this in her mind she needed to gain a scholarship and go to Dame Alice School in Bedford.
She caught the train from Potton to Bedford every day and on a Saturday. She worked hard, and was very competitive in her academic and sporting life, regularly playing Tennis and Hockey.
In order to fund her education (Books for school and later Lodgings) she had a Bread round.
With her School exams passed she secured a place to study in London at the Chelsea School of Pharmacy.
Lodging at the YMCA at Baker Street, she attended St John’s Wood Church with two fellow students, friends whom she still kept in touch with, and in her free time she used to cycle all over London seeing the sights.
A friend from Potton used to give her a lift home now and again on the back of his motorbike.
When she qualified she worked for Russell’s in Biggleswade which then became Lloyds, Sheila also did locum work, being sent to various other pharmacies in the Area, using her bike as her only mode of transport.
Sheila Learnt to ring in Potton, where she was a member of the congregation, however in order to broaden her knowledge she attended the more advanced practices at Biggleswade where a more experience band rang, again cycling from Potton.
Whilst training in London she enjoyed visiting other towers learning new methods.
A group of friends known as The Bedfordshire Young Ringers, had many cycling ringing tours all over the country, weekends away and days out.
She joined this group in 1950.
Her cycling days were put on hold when she slipped her disc playing tennis.
After she recovered she continued ringing with the Bedfordshire Young ringers they still meet once a year albeit with depleted numbers, choosing a ground floor ring and a Lunch.
It was at Biggleswade that Sheila met Alan, when asked by Granddaughter she spoke fondly of that time and relayed a story of a male friend of theirs commented to Alan that she had a lovely pair of legs.
Apparently Alan and Sheila at one time even had a bicycle for two (tandem).
Sheila brought a Ford 8 for £50.00 and was taught to drive, in London by her future Father-in-Law.
She kept this until after she was married selling it at a profit for £100.00.
They were engaged on 14th February 1957, purchasing the ring from Gatwoods in Hitchin one Saturday during her lunch break from work.
On a very windy day Sheila and Alan were married at Potton in 1958, for 7 shillings and 6 pence, which was the cost of the licence.
All other services were gifts from their large array of friends.
They honeymooned touring in her car from Oxford to Devon and Cornwall.
Upon their return they moved into Turnpike Farm where Alan was working.
St Andrew’s Biggleswade was now her regular place of worship and she was on the PCC for a time and in later life was a sides person for the 8 o clock communion service.
She joined the Choral Society in 1959 and helped out with their concerts.
She was also an inaugural member of the Ivel Townswoman’s Guild set up in 1969.
Sheila had 2 children Yvonne and Elaine. Sundays after church were a highlight as they often went in the car with a picnic to enjoy the countryside.
Holidays were of great excitement. Route sorted and written down.
Back seat of the car set up with cushions to make a bed, leaving on a Friday evening stopping half way, for a snooze in the car arriving at Cornwall, or across to Wales, up to Scotland.
The First flight was from Luton on a twin propeller passenger plane to Jersey to stay with Uncle Geoff very exciting.
Yvonne and Elaine took swimming lessons at the outdoor pool in Biggleswade in 1967.
Sheila decided that although she disliked water she would learn to swim, with guts and determination she tagged on the end of these lessons, she succeeded and has a certificate to prove she could swim one Mile.
She went on to become a Swimming teacher, Life Saving Instructor, and Examiner in both.
She met one of her best friends, Pat Curtis and between them taught many Children and Adults to Swim.
They became involved with the Biggleswade Swimming Club and for many years she was on their committee and was Treasurer.
The Girls went into competitive swimming and she decided to use her brain and took exams to become a Time keeper, Judge, Starter and Referee.
Sheila attended Swimming Galas and County Galas using her talent officiating at these.
The Biggleswade Swimming Club were highly regarded in the 1970 and 80 winning many trophies with Sheila sitting at the front of the bus even joining in some of the dodgy songs on the way home from away Galas.
All of her granddaughters were lucky enough to have been taught to swim at a very young age.
Displaying the same passion for the sport that their Nan did, two Great Granddaughters are now following on the tradition.
When she retired from the club they made her an Honorary Life member.
She returned to work part time when the girls were at school, doing Locum work.
When the Girls were older she worked full time at Biggleswade, Arlesey, Stotfold, Bedford and Gamlingay.
Bellringing was a major part of her Social life and she was Treasurer of the District Repair fund and she helped organise the Socials and Christmas socials, and attended the meetings and the Annual district coach tours.
Her local Tower being Biggleswade and there were great times making Carnival Floats during the 1970’s.
Past ringers remember these evenings at the Farm being supplied with food and drink by Sheila, and also the Bonfire Parties in November, and the Barn Dances held in the Shed.
She taught a great number of people to ring and was always patient and gave encouragement, but she would give you one of her stares if you missed a dodge or went wrong.
Sheila rung 62 Peals (17 at Biggleswade), of which she conducted 2, one at Tempsford and one at Biggleswade.
Of these Alan was in 43, Yvonne 6, Elaine 2 and Dawn in 1 this family peal at Biggleswade in 2003 being Sheila’s last.
She rang in 16 people’s first peal which shows her keenness to encourage others.
At least 3 of her peals were rung by a family Band.
Stan Ashton organised ringing tours starting in 1972 and Sheila and Alan with their many friends enjoyed these yearly holidays and had some wonderful tales to tell.
Her arthritis eventually stopped her from climbing up the tower to ring for Sunday Services. But if a ground floor ring was available on one of the Biggleswade Young Ringers tours she would catch hold.
In the 1980’s she decided to take up Badminton, joining a club playing weekly at the Stratton sports centre, she became quite good and was asked to join the league. She declined as she did not have enough time.
They moved from Turnpike farm to Rose Villas in the later part of the 70’s and into Biggleswade in 1986 residing above the TSB, eventually moving to Osprey Road.
Later in life having enjoyed a few canal holidays with friends.
A Cruiser boat – SILAS – was brought in 1986 and kept on the Ouse at Buckden.
Many weekends and holidays were spent cruising the local waterways.
In 1990 this was upgraded to a small Narrowboat – LISSA- and with extra deck hands (Grandchildren) longer distances were travelled.
When they retired in 2000 this was exchanged for a bigger new Boat – ALISS -.
May to September was spent cruising all over the waterways in England and Wales, Most navigable ones being ticked off the list.
Sheila always steered the boat in and out of the Locks whilst Alan did the lock workings.
Children, Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren all joined them over the years. Many friends were made on their voyages cruising the waterways.
Sheila was a member of the Inland Waterways Association and always provided the cheese biscuits to keep the working parties on the canals going.
Holidays abroad were enjoyed after the children had grown up.
They discovered Gran Canaria in the late 80’s and continued to visit at least once a year.
They enjoyed the warmer weather in winter and the company of the many friends they had met over the years.
She enjoyed knitting and did a lot of cross stitch work making up her own designs; one is of a scaled down picture of her 3 boats.
Sheila took up Art, she was quite good at school, and decided to take lessons.
Beginning in Old Warden, then Northill and joining a group in Blunham and Potton. So Wednesday and Thursday mornings off she would go and come back with some super Watercolour pictures, the best are framed and adorn the front room of Osprey Road.
She enjoyed meeting with all her friends, the camaraderie and the tutorials of these clubs.
All Family Birthday cards were painted and a special poem or few words written inside.
Special Christmas and Wedding Anniversary cards were done in the same way.
She was a good cook and a super Baker.
Her cake making skills were greatly admired, always producing family birthday and Christmas cakes.
Her special chocolate sauce for profiteroles making a lasting impression ‘the best ever tasted, and I have tasted quite a few’ explained one friend.
Cakes were made for Bellringers teas, and always the Christmas Social. Alan always had a slice of cake for his afternoon tea.
This skill has been passed down through the family, having taught all the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to bake from an early age, sitting on the side in the kitchen weighing out the ingredients and mixing by hand, and now they too bake beautiful cakes.
Sheila and Alan celebrated their Golden wedding in 2008 at the Conservative Club on a beautiful May Day, Surrounded by their family and friends.
The Diamond anniversary last May was a small affair, with a Peal rung at Potton by mainly a family band, then a meal at The Coach House, with the majority of their original Wedding entourage.
Sheila was a very determined Lady enjoying her varied life and giving her time to others generously.
It is said that those who touch our lives inspire us and love us, and they do so for a lifetime.
Today we celebrate her life and her love.
Our lives are more colourful because she was part of it.
Peter Smith
2019 Sheila Smith Order of Service PDF