Pip's been a very good friend for seventy-three years. We met at the School of St. Helen & St. Katharine in Abingdon in September 1948, both aged ten, and I remember her the evening term began, the first of my contemporaries I registered. She was extremely pretty, with that heavenly curly fair hair, full of interesting things to tell about ponies and dogs. I modelled my handwriting on hers, and admired her art.
Staying at Rees Farm in Upton St. Leonards was most exciting, with her favourite pony, Digger, and then Twinkle, who pulled the little trap in which we went out on the lovely Cotswolds. She adored Jill the white bull terrier, and Posy who was small. There was a lot to learn about horses and we cleaned a lot of tack.
Pip and Peter were there again after we'd all left school, at Reading University, where Peter took us tearing about on his most impressive Lambretta.
1965, at Rees Farm, was all cows and hard work – a very health-restoring place to be for a visitor, but a great deal of energy obviously needed from them. The Wind Farm, later is hugely impressive to this day, and their ideas behind it and the fact they actually got on and did it is wonderful – and made a Visitors' Centre and promoted tidal power as well as wind. And they also planted all those marvellous trees. Her electric car – the peacock – the horses – Juno, which I’m reminded by Corony was the name of the first mare of that dynasty of eventers she developed – the dogs, especially Tod – the list goes on and on. Above all, her family, the dynasty they founded …
She will be remembered for all of it and much, much more.
Hazel Marshall
Hazel Marshall :
20/09/2021
