"Our Mum" died on this date in 2002

Mum in 2001

Mum was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, U.K. on 7th May 1913.

Her family moved to Bristol in 1916, where she was raised with one sister (who died of tetanus poisoning), and six brothers, (the youngest of who was killed in Normandy in August 1944).

Mum was the daughter of  John Francis Finch and Kate (Ames) Finch. They named her Evelyn Maud.

She married Henry John Povey (son of Henry George Povey and Sarah [Bennett] Povey)  at Eastville Methodist Church, Bristol on Boxing Day in 1935.

Together they had ten children (nine of whom are still alive).

Maureen Joy
Jean Diane
Sylvia  (died in infancy)
John Michael /  Elizabeth Anne (twins)
Andrew James
David Francis Henry
Stephen Charles
Martyn Phillip
Ruth Lilian

In common with all working class people of their era in Great Britain, Mum and Dad never had it easy.  They were born just before World War One  (day in 1911); they grew to maturity during the Great Depression; they endured the enormous privations of World War Two; (and then proceeded to have five children between 1950 and 1956 -  so many mouths to feed).

Once the four older children were out to work (and contributing to the family income), Mum and Dad were able to relax a bit, enjoy some of the finer things of life, and take some lovely holidays together.

Mum's life was shattered when our Dad died, aged 63 in 1974.

Each of her children were delighted when she married Leonard Woolcock in 1989?.  He was a splendid husband and a great admired step-father.

A year or so after Len Woolcock's untimely death in 1997, Mum moved to a rest home in the Severn Estuary  town of Severn Beach,

She, who had cooked so many meals for some many people, (who could forget her famous "mixed grills") positively rejoiced because someone else cooked her "three squares" each day.

So it was that after eating a good breakfast on 29th August 2002 she slumped over, was escorted to her bed, where minutes later she departed this life, to be translated to life eternal with the God she served and loved.

It's one thing to love a parent, but for the Povey children, we not only loved Mum, we respected and admired her.  She had a great sense of style, and we often called her the Queen Mother.



jmp