Kirkby Thore lost one of its long-time residents recently, when Ann Aldridge died peacefully at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, with her family by her bedside, at the age of 92.
Ann first came to Kirkby Thore during the Second World War, when she and her family and cousins were evacuated to Church Gate. She then returned to live in the same house with husband Alan and their three daughters in 1964.
She was well-known and well-loved by her local community, as she was one of those people who was involved in almost everything. She was head cook at the primary school for 27 years, a long-term member of the WI, Brown Owl to the Kirkby Thore brownie pack, and attended St Michael’s Church. She was also a member of Penrith Singers, a very keen gardener and an avid fan of cricket, rugby and tennis.
Her greatest interest and love, though, was her horses. She taught numerous local children to ride as well as her own daughters, and was, for many years, secretary of Cumberland Farmers’ Hunt, South, branch of the Pony Club, for which she was given the Cubitt Award for her many years of voluntary service.
Later, she took up endurance riding and became a staunch member of both the Endurance GB Cumbria group and the Scottish Endurance Riding Club, competing all over the UK, and volunteering after she no longer competed. She rode regularly well into her 80s and was still caring for her last remaining horse, Donny, up until 18 months ago.
She always said that whether it was singing in the choir, going to WI or competing on one of her horses, it was the social aspect and the people who mattered more than anything. She remained close friends with many of those she met through her various interests.
She leaves three daughters — Maeve, Corin and Shonagh — eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, who will miss her forthright manner, never give up attitude and kind heart.
A eulogy to Ann:
Family, horses, dogs, gardening, music, community, friends – not necessarily in that order – are the things I think of when remembering mum. She was a very sociable person and loved nothing better than sitting around a dinner table having a chat with friends and family – always with a glass of red wine to hand, of course!
Mum’s family had a long association with Kirkby Thore before we came to the village in 1964 to live at Church Gate. She and her brother, John, and cousins, Robin and Rosie, moved to the house with their parents during the war to escape the bombing in Sunderland. She attended the primary school — in Miss Lightburn’s class, who was still teaching when we started there.
As children we were given pretty much free rein to do what interested us. Mum taught us all to ride, to play music, to love books, to care for and respect the countryside and to join any club or organisation we wanted to.
Our family holidays usually involved camping in some out of the way place like an old quarry or the middle of a forest — what is now known as ‘wild camping’ — back then, we didn’t know there was any other kind of camping! We cooked over a campfire, slept on the ground in a leaky tent with just a groundsheet under us, went on long hikes, climbed trees and cliffs and caught fish for breakfast — if we were lucky and patient enough.
I can still remember the anticipation and excitement when the car was packed to the gunnels, with the dog sitting on top of the luggage in the back, his smelly breath on our necks, and setting off to somewhere new. It’s only looking back that I realise how fortunate we were to have those experiences — even if they came with midge bites, nettle stings, grazed knees, and in one not to be forgotten incident, a fish hook lodged in Maeve’s eyelid! I vividly remember mum’s fury when dad persuaded the doctor not to cut the fly, as it was one of his favourites, and it was removed intact with the whole family watching!
I am sure that the childhood my sisters and I enjoyed has influenced our adult lives — our love of the countryside, new experiences, and the way our families have developed into the diverse wonderful people they all are.
Celebrating mum’s life with our family and her friends, I think we all recognise her as a true individual who lived her life to the full on her own terms, and who touched many people’s lives in different ways.
I, for one, hope I can follow in her footsteps.
- The funeral will be held on Monday, 3rd March, at St Michael’s Church, Kirkby Thore, and afterwards at the village memorial hall. Donations for Eden Animal Rescue and Eden Riding for the Disabled may be made at the service or online to www.walkersfunerals.co.uk
