Olive Webb 1930 – 2015
making beautiful cakes. She was the first one to put on her apron and go in to the kitchen to make tea and wash up at local events. We were all very sad to hear of her death and an impromptu tea was held to remember Olive at The Hub on the day of her funeral in Rugby on Monday the 27th April. A collection was held and £84.00 was raised from donations from the villagers who attended the tea. This will be used to purchase bulbs to be sown in the Parish Church grounds. A plaque celebrating her life will be placed with the bulbs to remember her contribution to the village. Olive was a wonderful character who will be greatly missed.
Laurence Crow Many residents of Melbourn will be sad to hear of the recent death of Olive Webb, a well known member of the village community. She was born on the 12th April 1930 in Royston, and as a young woman worked at the Spirella factory in Letchworth. Olive met her husband Derek through their membership of the St John Ambulance Brigade. Derek worked at Grange Farm in Melbourn and they settled in their house in New Road, next door to Derek’s brother Bob and his wife Chris. Olive lived in this house for 60 years until she moved to Derby to live with her daughter Jane and her family. Olive was very well known in Melbourn due to her kind and outgoing personality. For many years she worked at the Post Office with Bob and Celia Child. She always had a smile and a cheery word for everyone. Olive was great volunteer. She loved helping at the baby clinic in Orchard Road, where she would chat to young mothers, putting them at ease over a cup of tea. She was an active member of the over 60’s club and for many years took part in ‘The Melodians’, an amateur dramatic society in the village. She especially enjoyed performing in musicals. Olive was a member of Melbourn Women’s Institute and regularly attended WI meetings and participated in many of their outings. She also enjoyed playing Darts and Carpet Bowls. Every Friday, Olive actively helped the hairdresser by washing Ladies hair at Vicarage Close. Olive was a very good cook and liked nothing better than preparing food and
Laurence’s long and stubborn fight against prostate cancer came to an end on 3rd August when he died peacefully in Arthur Rank House Hospice in Cambridge. For more years than we can any of us remember he had maintained a cheerful attitude towards the awful disease and never shied away from talking about his progress. He had endured several treatments and operations and it is a tribute to both him and his nursing staff that until recently he had been able to regularly attend services in Melbourn and Meldreth Churches. Other people more qualified than myself will be able to tell of his early life and work and all I can say is that it was a privilege to have known him. Our condolences go out to his wife Elizabeth and his children Simon, Oliver and Rebecca and their families. Colin Limming
Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group The Group is for all women of any age. Meetings are held at 7.45 p.m. on the 4th Tuesday of each month, except in December and we vary our venues between Melbourn and Meldreth. We charge £1 on the night to cover expenses and there is an opportunity to make a donation to the chosen charity continued on page 13 melbournmagazine
9
