See below a testimony to the Grace of God as shown in Beryl’s life, Also attached Glenn Tomknson’s reminiscence of his contact with Beryl.

In Friendship,and with all good wishes,

Kath Worrall (Convenor, Mosedale LM).

Beryl Daphne Hibbs 21-xii-1933 – 17-xi-2022

 Beryl Hibbs epitomised what a life spent walking cheerfully over the world seeking that of God in everyone can be, and what it can achieve. Her Quakerism was the core of her being and its driving force. It underpinned all she did, in a life that encompassed teaching, bookselling, establishing a school, rescuing semi derelict buildings and replacing them with a successful complex of small, ethical shops and a café; and restoring and reviving Mosedale meeting in the remote ‘back o’ Skiddaw’ country of the Lake District National Park. In all of these she created positive and mutually supportive communities, and powerful outreach.

Beryl did not come from a Quaker family nor was she born in England. In June 1940, aged 6, she was evacuated from Guernsey with 5000 other school children. She travelled with 1300 of them by boat to Weymouth then by train to Glasgow She did not return home until after the war.

Beryl read English at Bristol University before joining the staff at Sidcot. She taught until 1978, firstly at Friends’ School Sidcot then as Senior Mistress at Friends School, Brookfield, Wigton before starting a school in Carlisle, Overwater, in 1970 with her friend Coryn Clarke. They had met at Sidcot where Coryn taught science and where their partnership began. They shared unusual childhoods – Coryn’s in an internment camp in Shanghai. Both had lived adventurously and continued to do so throughout their lives.

Beryl’s teaching was an inspiration to many of her pupils. They have vivid memories of engaging and stimulating lessons. One wrote: “I would say that her aim was to activate individual thought, interest and imagination.  She looked to extend awareness beyond the confines of the school and curriculum to wider social issues.

“Beryl was interested in developing thinking about the aims of a good education and how best to achieve these.  She was not interested in dedicating efforts solely to exam technique and parrot learning. She did recognise the importance of passing exams but kept in perspective the amount of time dedicated to this. Beryl was forthright and could be scary if she thought you had done something stupidly thoughtless or against the rules that existed.  She was also deeply thoughtful and kind to pupils, especially some with disorganised home back grounds.”

Overwater school was not a success financially. After its closure in 1978, Beryl and Coryn put their energies into running a book and wholefoods shop in Wigton, first restoring the premises. It too proved financially unviable. Undeterred they tackled another run down complex of buildings, this time in Caldbeck. This was the Priests Mill, where the restored buildings provided a café and some specialist shops. One was a bookshop and another a wool cooperative. It provides to this day affordable ethically managed units for local crafts and cooperatives. All the work was undertaken under Coryn’s supervision and most of it by carefully guided amateurs, with tradesmen only used where safety required professional oversight. The Priests Mill remains a vibrant community hub, as is an overtly Quaker project Beryl and Coryn undertook: the physical restoration and spiritual revival of the Meeting House and local Friends’ meeting in Mosedale. This was restored by volunteers at a number of work camps over the years. Run as a coffee shop during the summer months, it is known and loved by many Quakers and by many for whom it has provided a first introduction to Quakerism. Under Beryl’s skilful guidance its mission was established as outreach.

Throughout all this time Beryl gave substantial service to the Society of Friends nationally and locally. Nationally she was a member of the Friends Education Council from 1964 to 1969; a member of both the Home Service and Administrative committees; Clerk of Meeting for Sufferings from 1982 to 1986; and then Clerked the second half of the 1986 to 1994 Book of Discipline Revision Committee (BDRC). A colleague on this last, writes:  Beryl deserves much of the credit for our holding together as a well-concerned and productive BDRC. She set the tone. Her calmly reassuring authority inspired confidence and helped us to remain on course and in unity, as we laboured on behalf of the Yearly Meeting (and its very vocal membership pressing us from all sides with their suggestions) to a successful conclusion.”  When the new BDRC was announced, Beryl said “I wonder if they’ll have as much fun as we did”. In all she did she followed the QF&P advice on marriage – things are “to be taken seriously but not in grim earnest”. Her work for peace was practical and active, as well as spiritual. Peace camps were held at Mosedale and she and Coryn took part in many demonstrations as well as writing carefully crafted letters to politicians and opinion formers. As Clerk to Meeting for Sufferings she represented the Society in the courts during the unsuccessful bid to obtain an alternative for pacifists to paying tax for military purposes.

In Cumberland, later Cumbria, Beryl clerked at every level: Preparative Meetings, Monthly Meeting, and General Meeting. North Cumbria Area Meeting saw her skill in clerking when she steered a safe passage through treacherous waters at a difficult Extraordinary AM during the upheaval over the sale of Wigton Meeting House. Her people skills were remarkable. She was at the heart of a Gifts and Discoveries group of people from all over Cumberland General Meeting which met for several years in each other’s houses. She gathered people around her and inspired them, and enriched their lives.

Beryl had a rare and powerful spiritual grace, lovingly and unstintingly shared. She was valiant for truth, peace, justice and the integrity of creation. She was a wonderful mentor, a dearly loved member of the local community, and in every sense an outstanding Friend who faithfully carried out Fox’s instruction “that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them.” 

CT/ JH/ KAMW 4 iv 23

Beryl Hibbs by Glenn Tomkinson  

I first encountered Beryl at Sidcot when I was a member of a badly behaved lower fifth English class.  Two Junior English Teachers had left after a term with us.  Then Miss Hibbs arrived.  She did not leave.  We learned that the more Miss Hibbs smiled, the more dangerous she was.

I left Sidcot in 1962 at which time Beryl and Corin were still on the staff.  Beryl and Corin may have met at Sidcot but I am not sure.  Ken Greaves, head of English at Sidcot had left a couple of years earlier to become Head of Friends School, Wigton.

In 1966 I was appointed by Ken Greaves to join the staff at Wigton.  Beryl and Corin were already on the staff and Beryl was Senior Mistress.  Ken Greaves had symbolically unlocked the door between the Boys Side and the Girls Side allowing socialisation outside lessons and meals much to the horror of local Quakers and some of the staff.  The Swinging 60s were late arriving in Cumberland.  Beryl was instrumental in the success of this transition.

Beryl and Corin began to develop their own ideas about education and in about 1970 they left to set up Overwater School in Carlisle.  The school was never really viable and closed in 1978, the same year as I left Wigton and moved to Kent.

I returned to Cumbria in 2003 and Beryl was an active and influential member of the Monthly Meeting.  She spoke with authority.  I remember being quite rightly put in my place when she Clerked the difficult meeting held at Mosedale on the future of Wigton Meeting.  Her authority did not come from intimidation (apart from smiling!) but from her own inner light.