Obituaries, Eulogies, Memories & Orders of Service: #2 - 2010 to 2019

Feb 16

7 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

At a meeting of the Thursley History Society early in 2025, it was agreed that the website should include a post for our many beloved villagers who are no longer with us. Our archive contains a lot of information and we shall gradually build up this entry retrospectively. If you would like to contribute any obituaries, eulogies, memories, orders of service or photographs (especially where none exist on the website) please do so via the website: https://www.thursleyhistorysociety.org/contact

Lives celebrated: Peter Anderson; Michael Chant; Pat Coles; Diana Cory; Margie Crawfurd; Katherine Feld; Ray Fry; Kate Hurman; Alfred 'Cocker' Keen; Arthur Moss; Jean Moss; Clive Platfoot; Drusilla Pye; Grace Ranson; Bridget Stewardson; Cynthia Tann; Kathleen Watson

Alfred Frank Keen or “Cocker”: 8th September 1926 - 30th October 2019

From the Parish Magazine December 2019:

Alfred Frank Keen or “Cocker” born to Agnes and Frank Keen on 8th September 1926 at their home The Cabin (now The Well House) next door to the pub. Cocker was the 3rd child of 6 with older sisters Dorothy and Jean and younger brothers John and Don and youngest sister Hazel, ‘plenty to have a fight with’ he would joke! Cocker enjoyed what he described recently as ‘a good childhood with plenty of room to run about’ and displayed early signs of his mischievous character by tying the door handles of cottages together! He attended school just across the road in what is now the village hall. In 1936 aged 9 the family moved up to Homefields where he was to live the rest of his life.

Cocker’s first paid work came at the age of 13 in the form of delivering milk to Cosford House before he left school and became a garden boy at Milhanger. At age 16, Cocker joined Mr Cottle at Red Lion Garage, now Mathwall, where he would work during the war and learn his skills as a mechanic. Village life during the war was tough and Cocker and his younger brothers John and Don used to catch rabbits and poach pheasants, the only time meat was served at home, and every inch of ground would be dug to grow vegetables. After the war in 1947 Cocker was posted to Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire to serve his 2 years National Service in the army before returning to Thursley.

On returning to Thursley Cocker worked at Pitlands farm (now Punchbowl Farm) and Upper Highfield Farm. He enjoyed playing cricket for Thursley and became a very accomplished vegetable gardener. After farming he moved into livestock transportation with a firm named Keen (no relation) in Witley. It was following this move that Cocker saw the opportunity to become an owner/operator, he bought his own livestock lorry, parked it at Hill Farm Barns and started to transport livestock all over Surrey and beyond.

We met Cocker in 1990 when we bought the barns and that was to be the beginning of a near 30 year friendship. Around this time he retired and seemed to spend all his spare time helping us. He tirelessly worked with us to establish the garden we have today and in doing so became a big part of our family’s life here in Thursley. During his retirement Cocker looked after his mother, who he lived with in Homefields, and spent much of his time helping others around the village.

Cocker will be remembered by his family, friends and all those who he helped in the village. He is irreplaceable and as one villager said to me ‘they don’t make’em like that anymore’. The end of an era.

Mike and Debbie Spencer

Bridget Mary Stewardson: 20th February 1930 - 5th March 2019

Bridget lived in Rose Cottage, The Lane

Raymond Maurice Fry: 22nd January 1936 - 6th May 2019

Ray Fry was a long-term warden and advocate for Thursley Common

Jane Haviland: 21st May 1931 - 8th February 2019

Diana Cory: 2nd April 1929 - 14th February 2019

Katherine Louise Feld: 10th January 1985 - 4th April 2018

Michael Patrick Chant: 7 January 1944 - 6 February 2018

Michael, known as Mick, was husband of Tina who is a member of the Horticultural Committee. He ran the Cedars pub in Binsted. When they moved to Thursley, he became the caretaker of the village hall and was very helpful to the elderly.

From the Parish Magazine March 2018:

Born at Abingdon on 7.1.1944, (he managed to miss National Service by 7 days), the only son to Kath and Monty. School holidays were often spent at Grandfather's farm in Dunsfold along with his cousins, loads of fun and mischief, gaining a love of the countryside and rural activities, hunting and poaching with uncle Bill.

Apprenticed to the Oxford University Press as a printer and copper plate engraver. After inheriting 'Sunnyside' the family relocated to Bramley where they took in lodgers, one being Tina. Kath was trying her hardest to matchmake with a local farmer's daughter and was horrified when Mick and Tina secretly married in 1974 and disappeared to Yorkshire.

Ben was born a year later and Dan 3 years after. With his interest in tropical fish they bought a pet shop which Tina managed with her brother while Mick continued working in the print department of Selby District Council. With the deterioration of health of his parents and the changes in the print industry they decided to sell up and return to Sunnyside and became a gardener at Grafham Grange.

After a back injury in 1999 a change of occupation was needed so Sunnyside was sold and The Cedars at Binsted was the new venture. Mick was in his element propping up the bar talking to the customers with his never empty glass of beer. After deciding to take early retirement from the pub a move was made to Thursley to be caretaker of their Village Hall. These years were the best, he integrated into village life helping the older inhabitants keep their independence. The boys married two beautiful girls Bex and Charlotte, the mothers of his precious grandchildren Oliver, Emma, Alice and Gabriel. Remembering back to the days he spent with his grandparents he was determined to enjoy being Grandad.

Retirement meant moving to Witley where his health gradually deteriorated. In August 2016, diagnosed with oesophagus cancer, unafraid of death (can't be too bad wherever you go as no one comes back to complain) he kept telling stories and jokes up to the last few days.

“Thank you to everyone who sent such kind messages of condolence on the death of Mick. I never realised how comforting reading those words could be, other people's memories and anecdotes adding to my own.

We felt honoured to see so many Thursley residents at his funeral on a day that challenged the travel arrangements of many of our relatives. Convinced he had a hand in orchestrating the dreadful weather conditions would have appealed to his sense of humour. It was thanks to you that the crematorium filled up and we felt he had a good send off. The years spent at the village hall were some of the best, integrating into the village and making so many friends, seeing our sons mature and marry but best of all the births of his precious grandchildren.”

Tina Chant

John Patrick Coles: 8th September 1934 - 22nd August 2017

The eulogy was delivered by Alan Peters, Pat's greatest friend, and his sons Simon and Matthew:

This moving address was given by the Revd Edmund Haviland:

Kathleen Winifred Watson: 6th November 1917 - 24th April 2017

Margaret Vowe Crawfurd: 24th January - 11th January 2016

Margie Crawfurd was involved in a nursing charity in the village and was keen on welcoming newcomers. She was in charge of a high-class and prestigious art show held in the village hall for many years (see separate entry). She was the prime mover of the church kneelers (see separate entry) and also served on Waverley Borough Council.

Grace Pope Ranson: 10th April 1927 - 9th March 2015

Major Clive Gordon Frederick Platfoot: 16th February 1931 - 31st August 2014

Major Platfoot lived in Churt, next to The Pride of the Valley, and was a keen churchgoer at St Michael & All Angels. He sold wrist alarms for the elderly and dubious home-made wine was a hobby.

Drusilla Pye: 28th December 1927 - 13th January 2014

Drusilla was the formidable village and much-loved midwife who lived at 2 Church Cottages

Drusilla Pye's Memorial Bench designed by her brother, the sculptor, William Pye

Kate Hurman: 24th September 1928 - 31st July 2013

She lived in Old Potters on Pitch Place, an equestrienne and she and her husband had a fine collection of bronze statuary.

She lived in Old Potters on Pitch Place, an equestrienne and she and her husband had a fine collection of bronze statuary.

6th March 1926 – 5th October 2012

Cynthia Tann: 6th March 1926 - 5th October 2012

Cynthia lived on Pitch Place, she was a glamourous ex-model who had three children. She was an artist and a keen churchgoer whose brilliant flower arrangements were often on display. She read the lessons beautifully.

Peter Richard Anderson: 1944 - 2011

Arthur Edward Moss: 1916 - 2010

Arthur lived at Wheelwrights on The Street with his wife, Jean (see below). He was on the village hall committee and was in charge of raising the flag.

This was Arthur's recollections of his war which was produced for the History of Thursley Society's 'Victory in 1945 Celebration' exhibition held in 1995:

I spent VE Day marching away from the Russian Front, we were still POWs but the Germans were very agitated and disorganised and we could hear the Russian guns so we knew that our captors were losing the war. Ten of broke away from the chaos and found ourselves in a small German Village. There we met the local schoolteacher who took us into her home, took the down her picture of Hitler from the wall and cooked us a marvellous sit down supper. We then met up with a group of Serbs and were driven around on a horse and cart. After the Serbs, we joined a small party of Russians who plied us with methylated spirits and schnapps!

At Chemnitz Station we finally me the Americans, who took us to Rheims to the Frech and we were flown home in Lancasters to freedom. I arrived back on the 19^th May 1945 having been a prisoner of the Germans for almost five years bar a week. I was able to join in the celebrations for VJ Day and stood outside Buckingham Palace wit Gwladys, a young nurse friend, cheering as loudly as I could.