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Coleshill came together at All Saints’ on 24th July (which would have been her 87th birthday) to remember Patsy Wright-Warren in her various village guises. First, Dumpy Swerling spoke of their time together working as churchwardens. She said that, although apparent opposites – both in stature and in politics – you’d never have known it from the closeness of their friendship. Stature came into it on one occasion, however, when a bequest to the church allowed for the purchase of new vestments. Involving a trip to London to choose and buy, Dumpy was looking forward to a taxi back to the station with the voluminous material. But not a bit of it! True to her egalitarian principles and ever-anxious to spare the church expense, Patsy strode from the shop imperiously down the nearest escalator and into the tube, leaving Dumpy – an escalatorphobe – trailing ruefully but gamefully in her wake!

Dumpy took the opportunity to remind us all of the vital role Sue Miles played in Patsy’s life. Sue worked for Patsy for 30 years but theirs was not simply a working relationship – it became a true friendship and in her later years Sue was always there for her, ready to help at the drop of a hat. As Patsy often confided to Dumpy, “I just wouldn’t know what to do without Sue.”

The church was central to Patsy’s life and her devout Christianity was emphasized by Audrey Tridgell. Her contribution to the regular house groups, where she shared her humour, knowledge and stories were looked forward to by all. “Patsy, one special lady.”

Ruth Murphy recalled first meeting Patsy in 1985 on Remembrance Sunday. At that time there wasn’t a choir, though Patsy and John Chenevix-Trench led the congregation’s singing from the choir stalls. A year later, very much at Patsy’s instigation, the choir had been established and since then has waxed and waned with the times. But Patsy was always, in Ruth’s words, “my teacher, mentor and guide.” And, in due course, real friendship resulted. Years later, this was symbolized in the form of a leather bookmark (which Ruth brought out to show us) inscribed with the words: “A True Friend. Friendship is the greatest gift that is given to few. We have that gift my friend, thanks to you.” It was not surprising when Ruth said how touched she’d been by this and how sad she was that she would no longer be able to hold birthday parties – something she’d done for Patsy ever since she turned 70.

Playing Jim Hacker to Patsy’s Sir Humphrey was how Richard Valentine styled the relationship between him as Parish Council Chairman and her as Clerk. Patsy held that position for 11 years and was, in Richard’s words, “a tower of strength and wisdom. Committee papers were immaculate and woe betide any Councillor – let alone the Chairman – who raised a matter that was not on the agenda, other than under Any Other Business. In truth, it was the Clerk that ran the show, always in the best interests of the village.” He closed with a sentiment shared by us all – “We shall not see her like again.”

As Carol Hallchurch put it, when describing her induction to the All Saints’ Charity committee – “You couldn’t refuse a request from Patsy. She had such a persuasive manner with those clear blue eyes...” All the time under Patsy’s guidance, the Charity raised a total of £33,000 from villagers, first for the Ryder-Cheshire home at Dehra Dun in India; then for the Rosanna Hospital in Kurdistan; and finally for the St Lawrence Home of Hope for street children in Lusaka. Carol summed up: “Throughout the years Patsy remained a very positive person and never had a bad word to say about anyone; a true Christian who was passionate in her belief in serving those in need.”

patsy

Lindsay Haubner and Patsy in The Heiress

Then, there was Patsy’s long involvement in village drama (the organized variety!). With thanks to Steve Hitchen for the history, she first appeared in a one act play The Strange Behaviour of Martha Webb in December 1972, the same year that she moved in to Coleshill, and almost immediately transformed what had been the WI play group into the Coleshill Village Drama Group. She became a producer – The Hollow Crown, The Bear (Chekhov) and Riders to the Sea (Synge) were some examples – but continued to act. In 1977 she appeared in The Heiress, in which she "played a significant role with lavish perfection" according to the local press. She also had a flair for comedy, as she demonstrated in the early ‘80s in two Ayckbourn classics, Bedroom Farce ("brilliantly portrayed") and Confusions.

Lindsey Haubner was impressed by how, despite her high-powered job, she always found time to learn her lines. She was very good with accents – an American aunt, a Yorkshire genie and a northern mother of a motley crew, to name but a few. She had great, comic timing but could also play sensitive parts. In recent years, Patsy donned Anne Robinson black (as if to the manner born) to introduce Murder Mystery evenings devised by Lindsey as fund-
raisers for local charities. Latterly, she also played a full part in the playreading sessions organised by Jean Newhouse at St Mary’s church. Full of enthusiasm for all she did, she is sadly missed.

DSC02790Penny Ware notes that Patsy was also an enthusiastic member of the History Group from its inception and barely missed a meeting. She gave two fascinating presentations, one on the history of her family and one on Amber Cottages, where she’d lived since 1972.

Her home facing onto the common, Penny says that Patsy was always happy to engage with the work parties - often with one of the dogs she was “socialising” for Hearing Dogs for the Deaf - and was a wise member of the Common Management Committee. “She and I were the trimmers and bramble pullers, disparaging of strimmers and convinced these pervasive plants needed uprooting. Many a happy chat was had over the work and, when the time came that she found it difficult to do the work, she would still come to supervise and chat”.
What an amazing all-rounder – and what a gift to the village!
Dick Ware

 

 


As a supplement to the reminiscences above, Patsy’s niece, Tessa Westlake, was prompted to these further reflections after Patsy’s funeral service in April:

“Hearing what local people, and Anthony Priddis, had to say about her in the second half of her life, I thought it was interesting that she said she was very shy and slow when she was young, and not sure at all about what she was going to do. When she found her vocation and was training to become a nurse at Barts, she was so bullied by the matron that she almost gave up. Fortunately, she spoke to someone and was moved to a ward with an encouraging matron. She grew and grew in confidence through the years, and I have been hearing from former Dept of Health colleagues that she was very supportive of them.

As I say - this is all quite a different picture from her reputation in Coleshill of being rather outspoken and determined - for instance when getting young and old alike to express themselves strongly when doing a reading or taking part in the carol service.”

Patsy’s story featured last month in the BBC Radio 4 obituary programme, “Last Word”, and, if you listen, you can hear her voice – and her laugh – again: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07pjkj2

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