Wingrave's Home Page

A Rothschild Village in the Vale of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, U.K.

DOUGLAS SIEGFRID DUNKER

Joined Parish Council 1952.

Chairman 1966 to 1979

Although his parents were Swedish, Douglas Dunker was born in Rugby, Warwickshire in 1913. Following school and college he worked in London variously as a solicitor's clerk, a County Court clerk and a company secretary.

He married Christine Fleet in the Parish Church of SS Peter & Paul, on 2nd September 1939. The following day he left to join the Metropolitan Police in which he was a reserve. He transferred to the RAF Voluntary Reserve in 1941 to be a pilot but was told that he was "too old" and was shipped off to South Africa to train as an observer.

On his first sortie back home in 1942 he was in an Anson making a sweep across the North Atlantic. As the plane returned to its Scottish base a mistake by air traffic control forced the pilot to fly on at windsock height with the flaps still down. In a valley the wing clipped a tree and the plane piled into the hillside. Two of the four man crew were killed but Douglas clung onto life, unconscious for six days with a triple skull fracture and spinal injuries. Barred from 'ops' Douglas served as a Staff Navigator and Navigator Examiner until he was demobilised in 1946.

He then returned to Wingrave, living in 'Perriwigs' a cottage bordering the Recreation Ground and trained to become a teacher. He taught at Queen's Park Secondary School, Aylesbury and later at The Grange where, after 25 years, he retired at 6O. By this time Douglas and Christine had moved into 'Carpenters' in Nup End Lane. Douglas takes an active interest in the life of the village, he is a talented artist, a member of the Methodist Church and enjoys writing poetry. Sadly, his wife Christine who shared his many interests, died in March 1994.

LESLIE ROBERTS

Joined Parish Council 1952

Leslie Roberts was born in Wingrave in 1912 of a family associated with the village for over 25O years. He went to Aylesbury Grammar School and in 193O joined the staff of Bucks County Council moving to the Weights & Measures Department in 1933. His entire working life was spent in this Department and when he retired in 1977 it was as County Consumer Protection Officer.In this capacity he became well-known both locally and nationally for his entertaining annual reports which displayed a keen and often caustic wit, coupled with his talent for drawing cartoons which made his criticisms even more pertinent.

Leslie Roberts was a knowledgeable and erudite man, immensely interested in all aspects of Wingrave life. Together with the late Lord Essex he founded the Wingrave Community Association and eventually became its President.

In later years he became Editor of the Wingrave Communique, the village magazine which bore his own inimitable stamp and brand of humour. He was a staunch Methodist and for 44 years served as Chapel Steward. He was also a founder-member of Aylesbury Probus Group and in 1977 was awarded the Jubilee Medal.

Leslie died at his home in Wingrave in July l981. A Thanksgiving Service was held in Wingrave Parish Church. In his memory his wife Pat and daughters Caroline and Sarah established the Leslie Roberts Trust Fund the object of which is the furtherance of educational, sporting and social activities of the young people of Wingrave.

PETER SOUTHERNWOOD

Joined Parish Council 1962

Peter Southernwood farmed Hale Farm, Rowsham for forty-nine years. He served on Pratts Charity for 21 years for which he received a certificate from the Reverend Heffer. He was also an Air Raid Warden during the Second World War.

Peter and his wife Margaret will have been married 62 years in June 1995. They have a son, John and a daughter, Barbara. They have now returned to their original bungalow in Long Marston, built by Peter at the start of their married life. He still enjoys walking around the farm and gardening.

LESLIE TOMES

Joined Parish Council 1955

Les Tomes was born in Cuddington and worked with his father on the family farm until he moved to Parsonage Farm, Wingrave in 1953. He was interested in all kinds of sport, particularly football. He played for Cuddington Football Club for a number of years and was Hon. Vice-Chairman of Wingrave Football Club.

He was a keen gardener and won quite a few prizes at the local Garden & Allotment Society Show. He also won the cup twice for the best kept garden. He and his wife Eva had one daughter, June. He gave many village youngsters their first opportunity to earn pocket money helping with their chickens.

He enjoyed following the hunt and represented the local farmers on the Whaddon Chase Hunt Committee. He was an acting sidesman at Wingrave Church. He was still working Parsonage Farm at the time of his death in 1988.

Clerk to the Council 197O - 1986

Arthur Bodkin came from London 38 years ago to live in Wingrave with his wife Theresa.

During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force Medical Corps.

WILLIAM ARTHUR BANKS

Joined Parish Council 1966.

William Banks was born in Dawley, Shropshire. During the Second World War he served as a Sergeant in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in Belgium, France and Dunkirk.

He was a Freemason. His interest in sport included football and he played for the Old Corinthians Wednesday League. He was also keen on bowls and played at the Beech Hill and Wingrave Bowling Clubs.

He moved from Dawley to Luton and after his marriage to May was proprietor of the Village Store in Winslow Road, Wingrave.

Sadly he died at the age of 5O in 1969.

MARGARET GREENE

Joined Parish Council 1966

Margaret Greene qualified as a Licentiate of the College of Speech Therapists in 1949 and was subsequently awarded a Fellowship in 1958. Between 1949 and 1978 she had a distinguished career as a speech therapist at various institutions and hospitals including Stoke Mandeville Hospital near Aylesbury and St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London. She is the author of four books concerned with speech and its disorders and has written numerous articles and papers for specialist journals. She is a Past Vice-President of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics and in 1968 she founded the Association for All Speech Impaired Children of which she is currently the Vice-President. She has lectured widely in Australia, New Zealand, India and Africa. In 1987 the value of her work was officially recognised by the award of the OBE.

Margaret has now retired from clinical practice but continues to advise St. Bartholomew's as a consultant on electronic speech aids. Since 1956 she has lived at Dean Leys in Nup End Lane.

CECIL LAMBOURNE

Clerk to the Council 1956 to 1967

Cecil Lambourne was born in Aylesbury in 1913. He was a cadet in the St. John's Ambulance Brigade and at the outbreak of war served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was stationed in Sierra Leone, in West Africa for 13 months before being posted to Burma where he remained for a further four and a half years.

After the war he became an ambulance driver in Aylesbury; work which he thoroughly enjoyed. Many people remember his kindness and thoughtfulness whilst travelling to and from hospital appointments. He was awarded, and was proud to receive, a medal commemorating his long service.

With his wife Gladys, he moved to the Anchor public house in Wingrave where he remained for 10 years. They organised the cricket teas and catered for many wedding receptions held in the Church Rooms.

Cecil was secretary of the Thrift and Loan Club and acted for many years as the Wingrave football coach and trainer.

After his retirement he enjoyed tending his garden in Mill Lane. Cecil and Gladys have one son, Tony, and two grandchildren, Amanda and Paul. They were able to celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary, with many happy memories. Sadly, Cecil died in 1991.

RICHARD PAUL KEIGHLEY

Joined theParish Council 1972

Richard Keighley was born in Corbridge, Northumberland. His early childhood was spent at Nantwich in Cheshire before his family moved to Chichester, West Sussex. He studied for a law degree at Bristol University and stayed on in that city to train and qualify as a solicitor. It was there that he met Jean and they married and moved to Wingrave in 1970. They lived at 1, Moat Lane before buying the Old Vicarage at public auction in 1975. The previous occupant had been Ian Dury of Blockheads' fame.

Richard became a partner in the practice of Horwood & James of Aylesbury. He was 'recruited' as a parish councillor by the late Leslie Roberts whom he met at Winslow magistrates Court when, in his capacity as County Trading Standards Officer, Leslie was prosecuting Richard's client; a farmer accused of watering the milk.

Richard represented the Council on the Recreation Ground Committee and eventually chaired this jointly with prudence Goodwin. He also strongly supported the initiative by Leslie Roberts to form a Community Association in the village and to obtain a lease of the old school for use as the Community Centre. Richard did not seek a second term in office as a member of the Council as he wished to devote his energies to the formation of the Wingrave Players which he did with the enthusiastic support of others in 1978.

JAMES TALBOT

Joined Parish Council 1972

James Talbot was born in Blackburn, in Lancashire in August 1915 into a long established family of farmers and graziers. He moved to Hampstead Garden Suburb in North London in 1929. Upon completion of an engineering apprenticeship he worked in various branches of engineering and in 1936 married Elsie Cook who was born in East Dereham, Norfolk and then moved to Finchley, North London.

In 1946 he started in business as an industrial designer and engineer in plastic materials trading under the name of Talbot Designs Ltd, with factories in North London which continue to thrive today. He and Elsie moved to Moat Cottage, Wingrave, in 1956. Sadly his wife died in February 197O and is buried in Wingrave Churchyard. He subsequently married Anna Watson of Feltham, Middlesex and they have two sons, James and William, both of whom are at University. In l975 the family moved to the Norfolk coast.

James Talbot has wide interests and paints in oil, water colours and pastels. He writes technical articles for professional journals. He is a keen cellist and studied for some years with William Pleeth. When he lived in Buckinghamshire he was a member of the Aylesbury Orchestra. Sailing was one of his favourite pastimes though now he can only be a spectator. He was a keen Rotarian and for some years a member and Vice-President of the Rotary Club of Finchley.

TERRY TAPP

Joined Parish Council 1973

Terry Tap lived in Brewery Lane, Rowsham. He worked for Marley Tiles. He subsequently moved to live in Nottingham.

SYLVESTER DALE

Joined Parish Council 1972

Sylvester Dale was in the Royal Air Force from 1941 until 1946 serving in England, Scotland and the West Indies. He was an aircraft fitter.

While on home leave in 1942 he married Sybil Bennion from Rowsham, the Reverend Stevens officiated. They were the last couple to be married in Rowsham Chapel.

After the war Sylvester worked in the Transport Department of Buckinghamshire County Council and lived in Rowsham with his wife and their children John and Jennifer. In 1985 the family moved to Wendover. Both Sylvester and Sybil are involved with the British Legion.

HERBERT BRIAN ELLIS

Parish Clerk 1967 to 1969

Brian Ellis wa born in Lincoln in 1932. He went to school there and lived there until 1951. From 1951 to 1953 he was in the RACC doing his national Service, spending eighteen months in El Kebir in Egypt. On his return Brian went to the College of St Mark and St John, Chelsea, until 1955 to train as a teacher. After qualifying, he taught in Croydon until 1961 and in Staffordshire from 1961 to 1963, before becoming Headteacher of Wingrave School in 1966.

Brian took an interest in all aspects of village life and was a keen sporstman. In his early years in the village he played football, but later became a keen member of Wingrave Bowls Club where he played for many years. He also played indoor bowls at Stoke Mandeville.

Whilst Headteacher of Wingrave School, Brian took many children to the Buckinghamshire Schools' Camp Association's site at Nettlestone on the Isle of Wight, with which he is still connected and takes part in the summer camp each year.

Brian also keeps his contact with the school, as each year he accompanies a party of children from Class 6 and 7 on their environmental studies visits to various locations in connection with their National Curriculum studies. He was president of the Buckinghamshire Association of Head Teachers from 1973 to 1974. Brian retired from teaching in 1988 and has moved from Wingrave to live in Brighton.

Joined Council 1976.

Frank Bracey-Wright's family moved, in the early Thirties, from the Old Kent Road to Aylesbury to help Frank's Aunt Lily manage the Bull's Head Hotel. Lily was Mayoress and the wife of the Mayor of Aylesbury, Councillor G. Gargini JP. Frank attended the High Wycombe Technical College until 1935 when he started work at Cogger & Hawkins garage in Aylesbury. It was here that he met his future wife Jesamine Jean Rickard of Wingrave who had started work in the garage office that summer. During this period Frank was a keen member of the Mid-Bucks Motor Cycling Club.

Soon after the outbreak of the Second World War Frank joined the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) and specialised in the maintenance of armoured vehicles. Frank was in Egypt with the Eighth Army and served throughout the North African campaign and the invasion of Italy. He returned to the UK from Florence in 1945 and was stationed at Colwyn Bay. While on a long weekend's leave in 1940 Frank married Jean in Wingrave Parish Church.

After discharge Frank worked at the Rocket Projectile Establishment at Westcott and later at the Aylesbury College of Further Education where he was employed as a technician in the Motor Vehicle Department. He retired at 60 as Chief Technician.

After a short illness Frank died in October 1981 and is buried in the church yard. He is survived by his wife and their son, Terence and daughter, Valerie.

BRIAN HICKS

Joined Parish Council 1979.

Brian Hicks moved to Wingrave in 1972 to establish the Macintyre School in the Manor House. He became the first Principal and his wife Joan the first Matron. In 1974 he volunteered to edit a monthly village Newsletter soon to be renamed 'The Communiqué'. Brian founded the Music Group, was an enthusiastic member of the Bowls Club, played darts for the 'Rose & Crown', and in 1978 was Chairman of the Silver Jubilee Committee.

Later the family moved away from Wingrave to Bahrain where Brian became Head of Financial Operations at the Housing Bank in Manama.

ETHEL RAND

Joined Parish Council 1978

Ethel Dibble was born in Coventry. Her father was in the motor industry. He took up employment with the Aylesbury Motor Company and moved with his family to Aylesbury when she was 8 years old. She attended Aylesbury Grammar School before working in the County Offices in Aylesbury.

In May 1947 Ethel married Don Rand in Walton Church, Aylesbury. They lived in Rowsham where he farmed. They had a son Michael (now living in Ashendon) and a daughter Pauline (who is married and lives in Scotland).

Ethel Rand was Treasurer and then President of Bierton Women's Institute She served on Hulcott Parochial Church Council and did voluntary work for Manor House Hospital. Her first love remained her home, husband and family.

She was still a member of the Parish Council when she died in 1987 as the result of a tragic accident.

Joined Parish Council 1983

Chairman 1983 to 1984

Kenneth Knights was an RAF pilot in the Second World War. Ken & Mitzi Knights lived at Waterloo Farm in Mill Lane and later in a house in Leighton Road. A few years ago they moved to Surrey.

GERRY BURT

Joined Parish Council 1980

Chairman 1987 - 1991

Gerry and Edna Burt lived at Sizelands in Mill Lane from 1978 to 1994. Gerry Burt's term of office was particularly marked by the creation of Wingrave Park, better street lighting (at a saving to the Parish of £1,000 a year) and a footpath round Rose & Crown corner, 30 years after it was first proposed ! Gerry was also active in the Community Association as an executive Chairman for seven years and then a Trustee.

Gerry was a railwayman who started as a booking clerk and retired as the Chief Secretary of British Rail. His honours include the OBE, BEM and the Scouting Medal of Merit.

PETER COOPER

Joined Parish Council 1987

Chairman 1991 to Dec 1993 & July 1994 onwards

Peter Cooper lives in Brewhouse Lane, Rowsham. Their 18 year old son is currently doing his 'A' levels and their daughter of 20 years lives in the United States. Peter and his wife Ann are partners in a local hire, sales and information business. Apart from his work for the Parish Council he is also Chairman of the Wingrave & Rowsham Gun Club (clay pigeons) and was Chairman of the 'A418 Action Group' and a member of the 'No Tip Here' campaign against a waste disposal project between Rowsham and Bierton.

Joined Parish Council 1976

Chairman 1979 to 1983.

The following quotation is taken from the Bucks Herald of 21 June 1979

"At a meeting of the Wingrave Parish Council, Mrs Ann Grant was elected chairman in sucession to Mr. Douglas Dunker, who has retired after 27 years on the Council. Mrs. Grant of Leighton Road, Wingrave is married to Dr. Patrick Grant and is a Justice of the Peace for Bucks, sitting on the Linslade Bench. She is also chairman of the Aylesbury Vale Marriage Guidance Council and has been associated with Marriage Guidance for 10 years."

Joined Parish Council 1991

Stephen Rickard was born in Wingrave and joined the Parish Council in 1991 following in the foot steps of his grandfather, Charles Rickard who became a member in 1937. Steve is married with two boys and is the marketing manager for the United Kingdom arm of an international engineering company. He has been involved with senior football in the village since the 70's and has run a junior boys team since 1990. He has been a member of the Recreation Ground Committee for nearly 20 years and has worked to improve sports facilities in the village for people of all ages

Joined Parish Council 1991

Gladys Phillips returned to England in 1973, after living in Africa and Australia, and settled in Wingrave with her husband Bill. She soon joined the staff at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and still continues on a part time basis. Gladys no longer rides or plays tennis but has become an enthusiastic though erratic golfer. She has a deep concern for the natural environment and enjoys hill-walking, rambling, travel and "pottering" in the garden. Gladys is a member of the Parish Council Environmental Group.

NICK BROOKS

Joined Parish Council 1991

Nick and Edit Brooks moved to Wingrave from Tring in 1988. Nick has served on the Recreation Ground Committee and on the steering group for Wingrave Park. He is a member of the Wingrave Twinning Association and has been actively involved in exchanges with La Bouëxière in Brittany. He runs a marketing consultancy firm with offices in Tring and France.

DENNY BRADBURY

Joined Parish Council 1987

Denny and Roy Bradbury moved to Wingrave in 1986. They felt that the village had a strong sense of community and decided to join in and do what they could as their contribution.

Since Denny had been a parish councillor for some time in their previous community she was able to fill a gap that existed in Wingrave. During her time on the Council she was always concerned to maintain the tradition that is the essence of village life while recognising that a certain amount of growth was vital to avoid stagnation and decline. Apart from her work on the Council she was involved with the local Combined School Parents' Association; she was a school governor and actively supported Wingrave Church.

Clerk to the Council 1994 to 1995

Alec Bignell was educated at Wingrave village school and went on to Wing Secondary School and Wolverton Technical College. He was employed by British Telecom (formerly the G.P.O) for 38 years. He has been married to Susan (née Bignell) for 32 years and they have one son, James. Alec has been a member of all the village sports clubs and has served on their committees. He has been greenkeeper at the Bowls Club for the last 20 years. He has supported many other village activities and is a keen rambler. His other hobbies include gardening, bowls and photography.

Over the past 50 years Alec has seen many changes in Wingrave and had the pleasure of making many new friends.

MARGARET MORLEY

Joined Parish Council 1991

Margaret Morley spent her childhood in China, returning with her parents to England in 1945. She met her husband Ken when they were both training for teaching, and then lived and worked in various parts of the country before moving to Wingrave in 1974. Here she taught at the village school for 10 years, teaching the 11 to 12 year-olds. They have a son and daughter and four grandsons. Margaret's leisure pursuits include rambling, travel, dancing, the theatre and duplicate bridge.

Margaret and Ken became keenly interested in local history and in 1994 published 'The Great Upheaval' (an account of the enclosure of Wingrave & Rowsham) together with a map of the Parish as it was in 1798. In 1995 they produced a pamphlet entitled 'Grass Roots Democracy in Action' for the Centenary of the Parish Council.

Clerk to the Council 1989 to 1994

Penelope Bignell is the youngest of four children. She moved to Wingrave in 1969 and started work for Local Government. In 1973 she married Stephen Bignell, a member of the long established Wingrave family. In 1979 she gave up her Local Government work to care for her children Philip and Ruth.

Joined Parish Council 1991

Joan Watson arrived in Wingrave in 1988 with her husband Frank and their children Simon and Caroline. Previously they had lived mainly abroad on account of Frank's work as an oil industry executive. Joan originally qualified as a nurse but later developed a keen interest in interior design. She has been a member of the Parish Council Environmental Group.

Joined Parish Council 1984

Mary, Reg and family left the wilds of Ilkley Moor to live in leafy Wingrave in 1971. After a brief settling in period, Mary reopened the village youth club, enlisting the help of eight enthusiastic adults. She joined Bucks' Social Services in 1973 and until 1979 played a major role in the rehabilitation of patients during the planned closure of the psychiatric hospital.

She was elected to serve on the Aylesbury Vale District Council in 1979 and co-opted to the Parish Council in 1984. Her concerns included housing conservation. Mary was a governor of Wingrave School for a number of years and she has a great interest in the young people of the village. Her greatest joy is spending time with her family and enjoying the company of friends.

Joined Parish Council 1991

Dan Childs was born in the village of Winchmore Hill near Amersham, the son of a gardener and a nanny. Having attended schools in Coleshill and Amersham he trained as an electrician with a small family firm in Amersham Old Town. Dan lived in Amersham until he moved to Wingrave with his wife Carolyn where they became involved in many village activities including the youth club, the Communique and the Twelve Leys Residents' Association. He worked as an electrician in and around Wingrave before becoming a contract supervisor for British Telecom.

Dan has four children (Trudi, Sarah, Adam and Oliver). His mother, Nancy, also lives in the village. Among Dan's interests are live music and the preservation of traditional village culture.

Clerk to the Council 1986 to 1990

Elizabeth Morgan and her husband and two children have lived in Wingrave since 1984. During her tenure as Clerk she assisted Chairman Gerry Burt in the acquisition of the lease to Wingrave Park and the installation of new street lighting using sodium vapour lamps. However, she found it necessary to retire due to the pressure of other work. She was a member of the Wingrave Singers and is an active member of the Wingrave Players and generally leads an active life within the village community. She assists with the running of the Community Association, and also acts as Clerk to the Trustees of Wingrave United Charities. Elizabeth, her husband David and children have all been keen members of the Twinning Association and have spent many happy hours with other members of the village Twinning Association and their friends in France.

JOHN M.A. EVANS

Joined Parish Council 1992

Acting Chairman Dec 1993 to July 1994

John Evans moved to Wingrave in 1981 with his wife Jennifer and their children Andrew, Crispian and Caroline. John was employed as Head of Hampden Hall, Stoke Mandeville, the centre for agricultural and horticultural education in Bucks. In 1990 he became General Secretary to the Livestock Auctioneers' Association for England and Wales. He was a bell ringer, a church sidesman and a trustee of the Wingrave charities. As a Pratt's Charity Trustee he was instrumental in leasing the land for 'Wingrave Park' to the Parish Council.

Andrew and Crispian attended Aylesbury Grammar School and Caroline was at Wingrave School. Jennifer worked at Manor House School and Stoke Mandeville Hospital as a physiotherapist.

John & Jennifer left Wingrave in July 1994 to live in Dittisham, South Devon.

PETER JONES

Joined Parish Council 1981

Peter Jones was born in Wembley and qualified as an architect in 1956. After National Service he lived and worked in London before moving in 1962 to Buckinghamshire the birthplace of his maternal Grandfather, James Dimmock, who grew up in Littleworth, Wing.

Following some time in Chesham and Winslow he moved to Wingrave in 1973. During his time as a Parish Councillor he advised on planning applications and started moves to clear and sign the Parish footpaths and prepared a map showing them.

Joined Parish Council 1983

Robin Perkins was born in Rowsham and moved to Wingrave when he was twelve years old. He is married with a daughter and a son. He lives in Castle Street where he has a building business. He has played football and cricket for the village and is now a member of the Bowls Club.

JOHN LEACH

Joined Parish Council 1991

John Leach was born in Watford, Herts. and moved to Wingrave in 1984. He worked for an advertising agency until 1985 when he joined a firm that organised steam hauled excursions on British Rail lines. He is currently Marketing Manager for the Severn Valley Railway. John was involved with the Community Centre and could often be seen serving on the bar at functions. John married Suzanne at Wingrave Parish Church in October 1993. They now have a daughter, Denise, and live near Bewdley, Worcs.

JACK KIDD

Joined Parish Council 1987

Joined Parish Council 1993

Joined Parish Council 1981

Terry Bracey-Wright was born in Wingrave and still lives in the village that he loves and appreciates, running the local garage.He joined the Parish Council soon after his father Frank died in 1981. Terry and his wife Ann live in the Old Manse, Church Street with their two children (Lee and Emma) .

Terry's main interest is in seeing sensible development and expansion of the village to keep it "alive and well" rather than preserving it as a museum piece. He ardently supports the development of Wingrave Park and regards the setting up of that project as one of the most pleasing achievements of the Council while he was a member.