Joan Marchington née Pickering

17 11 41 – 11 2 19           77 years

Joan

Joan Pickering … was born in Reddish, near Stockport to  Norman, who was with AV Roe (Fairey Aviation) near Manchester: - popping rivets in Spitfires … and to mum Alice, who was one of the original ‘trespassers’ on the Kinderscout Mountain in Derbyshire in 1932 – which eventually led to the opening up of the countryside to all walkers and ramblers.

Norman and Alice – Joan’s mum and dad – took up a Derbyshire hillside farm – selling their Reddish chip shop when Joan was turned four.Joan had a brother and 3 sisters.

Their elevated 96 acre hill farm, with a breath-taking panoramic view of the ‘scout, was where Joan put her hand in … bringing the summer hay in the old way, with pitchforks and a simple ‘cart:- but also, often milking the cows by hand … [would you believe it ? … all the cows had their own individual names?] … before Joan left early, walking two miles every weekday to catch her ‘bus at her first place of employment, where – with employee training at the 1960’s Domestic Trades College in Manchester … known as the Toast Rack due to its distinctive form, passed her exams as a Qualified Pastry Chef.

I have to interpose here – and mention Dinah.  Another animal. A horse.

Dinah was a black Welsh Cob ... there was very little white. It really wasn’t an intensively worked farm and Dinah later gave way to ‘tractorisation’.  Dinah – used to ...  on the outside - nuzzle the farm kitchen window ... as Dinah was a weather forecaster !!  Dinah ‘knew’when it was due to snow.  Joan – many, many times – rode Dinah ‘bareback’ for fun and playtime, as Dinah was really well past her prime working days.  A Gentle Giant !

Joan met John at the beginning of the 60’s, then following a not over long engagement; were married – actually on Joan’s 21^st birthday in November 1962 - and honeymooned in the City of Love – Paris. No ! it wasn’t snowing at their Derbyshire church ceremony in November 1962 – it was a ‘wonderful’ day – nor was it snowing in Paris.

Joan and John had always had this secret wish themselves – unbeknown by each other – to be small business people with, likely, a Scottish Guest House / B & B, as they’d spent so very many of their family holidays visiting different parts of Scotland, choosing to ignore wanting to see other exotic climes.

Joan wasn’t: - at the time: - working in catering, when John chose to grab an early retirement package – actually, one of his employers’ redundancy schemes – and go chase their dream.

It was easy to do.  Joan and John spent: - ‘for themselves’ nearly 10 years in Moffat over the Scottish Border.  Moffat’s roughly half way between Gretna Green and Edinburgh.

Joan and John’s children, Dawn and Colin, can always say they’ve seen – live – when it really was some kind of extravagant and exhilarating, spectacle – the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, during one of their previous family holidays.

It was o.k. at first: - but the routine of the B&B wasn’t entirely exhausting and  tho’ … Joan and John were thrilled and delighted with their new income … it wasn’t demanding on any one’s brain and John persuaded – with difficulty – “if they could ‘run’ a B & B … then, they could ‘run’ a Public House”.

What happened in 2009 … … most of you here will know the result of the Joan and John’s Public House venture ...

Joan and John:- along with their chocolate Labrador, Pub Dog, [Galaxy] of course … (animals, remember, being extremely important to Joan !) … arrived in Bishops Waltham and settled down to retire, tho’ Joan was already 68 yrs. 

Joan had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in her late 50’s. Joan must have unknowingly suffered it many more years before that, as Joan’s liver had become irreparable of late and regretfully, sadly, ladies like Joan: - [Joan was 77] … are: - at that age; -  absolutely –  not offered ‘liver transplants’.

Joan loved every kind of plant and flower you could think of  … and; - to repeat myself, again … was a more than a bit of an animal fanatic …  a devoted wife and mother who saw the very best in everyone … bar no one.

Joan will be sadly missed … remembered fondly as someone who enjoyed life to the full, and wanted everyone around her to be pleasant and contented.  Joan saw the best in You.

Joan’s favourite charity was  … obviously !! …the RSPCA.

Joan ... Rest in Peace.