It is with much sadness that we announce the recent passing of Josephine Clark (née Counsell) (S: 1951 - 1952). Our thoughts are with her friends and family at this challenging time.

Jo Clark is much loved and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. If you have any memories, photos or tributes of Jo that you would like to share with the family, you can share them here.

I attended a thanksgiving service on behalf of the School and Sidcotians to celebrate Jo's life at St Mary's Church, Wedmore on Tuesday 7th January. It was a wonderful service. Her daughters both spoke Nicky read a eulogy which I have shared below, Sally shared a poem and Geroge her grandson (also a Sidcotian), shared his memories and his cousin a reading. Last but by no means least we also heard from Pippa her oldest great-grand-daughter. It was a lovely service.  

Below is Jo's extract from 'The Register,' and her obituary.  Many thanks to Nicky for sharing this with us. 

Counsell, Josephine; b. Axbridge 22nd December. 1935; p. William Phillip Counsell and Phyllis Margery; S: 1951 - 1952. m. Roger Duckett Clark (chartered surveyor) at Compton Bishop, 23rd June 1956; ch. Nicola Jane (q.v.) b. 1957 and Sally Joanna b. May 1959; tennis, swimming.

Mum by Nicky Hutchinson 

Mum was born on 22 December in 1935, and was named Josephine, though she always preferred to be known as Jo.  

She was the third child of William and Margery Counsell who owned a garage at Weare. She had two older brothers, Tim and John. John is now 91, and with us here today.  

Mum was just 3 when the war began. The stories she told us from that time are from the vivid perspective of a young child. One of her earliest memories is of being carried out of the air raid shelter in her father’s arms….and in mum’s words, being bitterly disappointed when she discovered that her house was still standing!

If the invasion came, the children knew they had to run across the fields from Weare, to a hidden cave at Crooks Peak and wait there for the adults to join them. The cave had been prepared with provisions, including a tin of sweet Nestles milk, mum’s favourite.  She remembered longing for the invasion to happen so that she could go to the cave and eat the Nestles milk.  Against the backdrop of the war, she recounted a childhood of simple country pleasures, such as picking blackberries and primroses, going for walks, swimming and fishing in the neighbour’s lake.

In her teenage years she boarded at Sidcot School, and was extremely happy there. Her school reports from that time said she was popular, but also noted that she could put more effort into her work.  As she explained to us, there were distractions, ‘Well, I was in a mixed school, which was unusual in those days, that’s why!’ When her year group left Sidcot, they began a round robin form letter containing their news, which they have kept up continuously for these past 70 years.  Obviously, there are only a few people left now from that original year group of friends, and I have the latest form letter at home to make a final entry and bid farewell on behalf of Mum.  

Our mother served in the Wrens after leaving school and it was one of the happiest periods of her life.  She was a driver and drove large lorries. Although she was usually very modest and without ego, the exception was informing us quite frequently what a good driver she was! She loved life in the forces, particularly the parades, marches and the uniform.

By this time my mother had already met my father, Roger Clark, who was an agricultural auctioneer and surveyor. They met at a cousin’s 21st party but had first spotted each other many years before at a children’s party when Mum was 7 and she remembers thinking that he was rather nice.  My mother left the Wrens in 1955 and a year later in 1956, Roger and Jo married. I was born the year after, and my sister Sally, a couple of years after that. We lived in the village of Ubley, and then moved to Crooks Peak House, on the side of the hill which had originally been built and run as a guesthouse by generations of Mum’s family.  Mum was a housewife and homemaker. She was a wonderful cook. We remember particularly her lovely roast dinners, and the amazing teas she would make for crowds of visitors, with home-made drop scones, cakes, Swiss rolls, meringues, brandy snaps and chocolate eclairs.

My parents highly valued family life and children, and throughout our childhood we spent most Sundays joining in noisy get-togethers with cousins, uncles aunts and grandparents, over a roast lunch or a large Sunday tea.  

Mum was a keen sportswoman and many of you will remember coming up to Crooks Peak House in the summer for a swim or a game of tennis. Mum and Dad also enjoyed wonderful holidays all over the world. Although she travelled far and wide, she wasn’t particularly adventurous, preferring to spend her days enjoying a beach and the sunshine. When they stayed in Kenya my father was keen to go on safari to see the animals but Mum said she wasn’t particularly bothered and she’d prefer to stay at the hotel whilst he went. When he came back, having spent a very exciting four days tour in a jeep and bursting to tell her about his adventures, she met him with, ‘Now tell me honestly Rog, did you see anything you can’t see in Bristol Zoo?

After Sally and I grew up and married, our parents moved down to Combe Florey near Taunton where they settled happily.  They continued to go on lovely holidays and mum got involved in the local bridge and tennis clubs and made many new friends. When grandchildren came along mum threw herself into the role of being a very involved, hands-on Granny.

My father died in 2003, and mum adjusted to life without him. She moved from the house my parents had shared in Comb Florey into a penthouse flat in the beautiful grounds of Cedar Falls Health farm near Taunton. She loved living there; she could go across to the health farm for a daily jacuzzi and lunch and chat to all the visitors who were staying there.

When Mum was 73, she suffered a massive stroke that was life changing for her. She spent months in Frenchay and then Taunton hospital and lost much of the use of her right-hand side of her body. This meant that she could no longer write, drive, or play tennis so the independent busy life she had led became more challenging.  Mum had a very matter of fact approach to life and didn’t really complain much about her health, and tried to make the most of things, (‘I’ve got a hand that won’t do as its told’ she used to say) She had lifts from friends to her regular bridge evenings and for shopping, and managed to carry on living independently for several more years.

In the many kind letters and cards, we received following mums’ death, two words to describe her came up lots of times. That she was glamorous, and that she was fun. Anyone who knew mum knew that she loved clothes and fashion and had a great sense of style. Mum wore an array of gorgeous outfits to the many weddings, parties, dances and events she attended. Even later in her life, when she was quite disabled, her favourite thing was to be taken to Bristol and look round the shops in Cribbs Causeway. Although she could hardly walk by then, she experienced a sudden energy burst if she was in the women’s fashion department of John Lewis, managing to negotiate her walker round the displays and hangers with uncharacteristic speed and purpose.

Her sense of fun meant that she often had a twinkle in her eye and was always happy to be the butt of a good joke. She was often very funny without meaning to be.  She took a big interest in people and got on with everyone. Her down to earth, unshockable manner and kindness made her a good person to chat to and she took an enormous interest in everyone’s lives and families.

She continued to suffer lots more strokes, so many that we lost count. She spent her last two years at Torrwood nursing home near Wells, and we thank the staff there for their support and care.  She loved visits from the family and going out for lunch and coffee when she was able.

Even when her own life became severely restricted, she would always respond with enthusiasm and interest when the grandchildren told her all about their news. Her family was absolutely central to Mum’s life and her favourite pastime was to look on her phone at photos and videos of her 6 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Her last day was peaceful, she was surrounded by her family.

Before George and Pippa share some memories with you, I’d like to finish with Mum’s own words, declared recently in her characteristic matter of fact style:

‘I’m ready to go now. For goodness’s sake, no one goes on for ever…. I’ve had a lovely life.’