St Edward's Rhubarb - 2018

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V A L E T E
ST EDWARD’S r hubarb
You can’t think of Polls
without thinking of her
wonderful family. Looking back as
a group, many of us can pinpoint
some of our fondest memories
of Polls as being surrounded
by her parents, siblings and
others at the infamous parties
they hosted in Appleton – one
particular favourite was the
Roald Dahl themed 21st she had
with her twin sister Juje. Polls
came dressed as the giraffe from
The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me,
and spent the evening showing
everyone else how it was done
on the dance floor – she was
pretty well known for her moves!
Polls was a truly special
person who gave so much
of her time and love helping
others. She had a real passion
for animals and the outdoors.
After leaving Teddies she went
on to study Veterinary Sciences
at Liverpool, and that also
marked the start of her avid
support of the cause of saving
the bees. If you ever got her
onto the subject, you would
walk away totally convinced
to go and set up your own
wild garden – she even gave
wildflower seeds away as her
wedding favours.
As well as her love for nature
and the outdoors, Polls was an
adventurous spirit who loved to
travel, visiting everywhere from
South America to Southern
Africa and having an eye-opening
adventure to Sudan. She met her
kindred spirit and fellow vet, Phil,
at university, and they enjoyed
many wonderful adventures
together over the years. None
of us will forget how beautiful
and happy she was on their
wedding day, and subsequently
how very happy she was when
Ada was born. In the short time
she had, Polly was an incredible
mother, determined to make
the most of her time with Ada
and showed huge strength and
resolve to fight the cancer right
up until the end. Unfortunately,
the cancer was too far along and
she didn’t stand a chance.
I know that Polls would
thoroughly approve of having
her own wild garden at Teddies
next to the bees. As her friends,
who miss her dearly, we will
draw great strength from having
a special place to sit quietly and
remember her, thinking of the
happy times we spent together
here at School, and beyond. She
achieved so much and led a full,
happy life, she really lived for
the moment and with a get-up-
and-go mentality. Perhaps most
importantly, she taught us to be
kind, look after the people and
world around us, laugh hard and
often, dance to your own beat
and, in the end, to be brave and
selfless.
‘Appreciate the people
around you, adventure with
them, buy less stuff and go
out and experience the world.
Laugh, dance and have fun.
Respect the world and look
after the bees. Finally and
perhaps most poignantly,
I’ll quote Mary Schmich
(Baz Luhrmann):
If I could give you one piece
of advice; sunscreen would be
it.’ - Polly July 2017
As a passionate sailor, a Just
Giving page has been set up in
her memory to give kids the
opportunity to have fun, to be
adventurous and to learn new
skills through participation in
sailing and watersports. If you
would like to donate please
visit
campaigns/charity/uksa/
pollysfund
BISHOP – On 30th April
2017, Martin Egerton Bishop
(E, 1943-1947), aged 87.
The following is the address
that was delivered by Anne
(Martin’s widow) at the funeral
service which was attended by
a number of OSE:
Martin died aged 87 after
a two-year battle with Non
Hodgkin Lymphoma which
he bore with his customary
fortitude and humour.
Martin was one of St Bede’s
(Eastbourne) pupils who were
brought to St Edward’s by
St Bede’s Headmaster, Ken
Harding, in 1940. He remained
at St Edward’s until 1947 when
he was called to do National
Service in the Royal Artillery.
For the majority of his National
Service he was stationed at
Tigne Barracks, Malta, where
he ran and played rugby for the
Army in the Middle East. After
national service he went to St
Andrews University. On leaving
St Andrews he emigrated to
Vancouver, BC and after four
years moved to Toronto where
he worked as an Engineering
Assistant at United Steel. Whilst
there, he was approached in
1959 to work for IBM, but was
summoned back to London to
join his father’s stockbroking
firm, Bishop, Channon & Hatch.
On his father’s retirement he
joined his uncle’s stock-jobbing
firm, Bisgood Bishop. In 1968 he
joined the stockbroking firm of
Pidgeon de Smitt and in 1976
moved to Truro, Cornwall,
where he opened their branch
office. In 1983 Pidgeon became
Vivian Gray and in 1986 he
moved to Quilter Goodison
where he opened the first share
O B I T U A R I E S
shop in the UK in Truro. In 1988
Quilter Goodison moved him to
Bristol as the Branch Manager
of their Bristol Office. In 1989
he moved to Greig, Middleton
& Co as an Associate Director
and Branch Manager where he
stayed until his retirement in
1994. To occupy himself in his
retirement he became a private
detective working with a Bristol
firm of solicitors specialising in
investment fraud. In 2000 he
finally retired, moving back to
Cornwall. In 2004 he organised
the first lunch for retired OSE in
Cornwall. This was so successful
that it was enlarged to cover
Devon and Cornwall and still
meets biannually under the
organisation of John Crosse (B,
1955-1960). Martin had always
been actively involved in charity
work. In Truro he raised funds
for The Boys Club and the British
Legion. In Bristol he ran the
Bristol Branch of SENSE raising
money for deaf-blind children. He
was also a volunteer steward for
the National Trust at Lanhydrock
for eight years. In 2002 he
joined the National Coastwatch
Institution as a volunteer
watchkeeper at Stepper Point
for 12 years. He was a keen
supporter of Launceston Rugby
Club. Martin leaves Ann his wife
of 56 years, two daughters and
two granddaughters, whose lives
are emptier without him. Polly Birch
Martin Bishop