Profile

Pat Ames

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You might be forgiven for thinking that Pat Ames was a born Londoner, but in fact she was born and spent the first four years of her life in Stafford, so that when her parents returned to London she was mocked for her northern accent. Her parents were living in RAF quarters when she arrived in 1942, she still has the bill from the midwife for her delivery – 7/6d. The family was later completed by the arrival of a brother. Her father worked on photographic reconnaissance but had been a printer before going into the services – her mother had a greengrocers in Walthamstow.

She has always been a bit of a rebel and could not wait to leave school at 16½, going to work in an insurance company in the City of London. She and a friend took a course in shorthand and typing and she was able to progress through the company to eventually become assistant secretary to the Big White Chief.

In her late teens, she learned to ride a motor bike and it was in 1965 that she went to buy a new Triumph 21 from a young motor salesman called Colin Ames. They got married the following year and found a small flat above a transport cafe in Tottenham where their first daughter Sandrina (named after an Italian friend Alessandrina) was born. The flat was opposite a Jewish Residential Home and Hospital and Pat was working there as a secretary. She explained to them that she would have to stop work after the baby was born but the Home simply said you must bring the baby over with you and so it was that Sandrina was fussed over by the lovely residents of the Home. Pat has a great deal of respect for the Jewish Community in the East End.

They saved hard and in 1969 were able to buy a house in Wood Green where Shelley was born. Colin was eager that his children should be their priority and so Pat stayed at home for ten years until she felt able to take on some part time work on the Electoral Roll in Harringay Civic Centre. By that time, she was Brown Owl to the 5th Wood Green Brownie Pack, she worked with the Brownies for 19 years and both her daughters went on to become Queen Scouts.

Colin not only rode motorbikes (his first love was a Francis Barnett bike) but was also, and still is, a very keen road racing cyclist and a keen follower of the Tour de France. He cycles every weekend and still has a motorbike, although Pat is no longer so keen to ride with him!

Colin’s brother ran a club ‘Unity Seventy’ for mentally and physically handicapped children and one day when he was stuck for a driver he asked Colin to help him out driving an ambulance to a BBQ, He really enjoyed working with the children and this led to them both being involved in fundraising. At one event, they met a charismatic amateur magician who happened to be the Superintendant Registrar at Harringay. Pat was working in the Council Planning Department and it was not long before Vic had persuaded her to begin training to be a Registrar. Vic Weldon was well known for performing in RAF Gang Shows (on one occasion working for Princess Diana at a party

for Princes William and Harry). Pat and Colin got involved in the Gang Shows and she showed me a specially bound book with names recorded in Pat’s hand (calligraphy is another of her talents) of the Gang Show performers over the years, including Tony Hancock, Peter Sellers, Dick Emery and Harry Worth. The book belongs in the RAF Church St. Clement’s Dane and Pat has recently had the sad task of adding Vic’s name to the parchment pages.

Pat started in 1984 to train as a deputy, moving up through Marriages, Births and Deaths to become Superintendant. The Registrar is responsible for taking all the details then the Superintendant performs the marriage and signs the certificate. Pat has many tales about weddings at which she has officiated, both funny and sad. The Registrar has to be certain that both parties consent to the marriage, sometimes the bride is under duress, sometimes the wedding is taking place to obtain British citizenship – that in itself is not illegal unless it can be proved that money has changed hands. It was not unknown for the bride to be completely ignorant of her husband’s name!

The Registrar’s job was very stressful and emotionally demanding and in 2003, after 19 years of hatches, matches and despatches Pat was conducting a marriage when she had a stroke, as it happened both the bride and groom were doctors so the damage was contained, but it was enough to make Pat and Colin re-evaluate their lives and it was thus that they moved to Melbourn twelve years ago to be near their daughter Sandrina.

Colin can turn his hand to anything – although he spent some time in the motor business he was by trade a sign writer and is obviously good with his hands as he made his granddaughter Lara a guitar! Pat then told me that he had made her a beautiful box for her bow. Her bow? Oh yes, she is an archer and has a 5’ 7” English ‘takedown’ Longbow drawing 41 lbs. Takedown means the bow breaks down into three parts and, as I was shown, fits beautifully into the custom made brass bound box with Pat’s name on it. She got into archery through the Scout movement, which also introduced the couple to American Square Dancing in 1991 when they attended classes in Winchmore Hill.

American Square Dancing is a cut above Square Dancing, which is above Line Dancing and yes, Barn Dancing is at the bottom of the pile. Pat has been a Caller in her time and still keeps in touch with all their dancing friends.

You might have noticed Pat about the village – unmistakable with her pink/mauve/blue hair, depending on her mood. She started dying her hair when she was 15 – her hair was originally auburn and very long. Bishop Stephen certainly noticed it when he came to bless the new bells in Meldreth, he liked the fact that her nails matched her hair!

Singing in the church choir is another of Pat’s hobbies. Brought up as Church of England she attended a missionary school and in her teens sang in a Baptist Church. She was not confirmed until she was 31, that was partly due to her involvement with Brownies and Church Parades and the fact that she was singing in the choir at St Michael’s, Wood Green. She has very strong views on religion, as on most things! She loves her grandchildren, holidays in the sun, gardening, has helped with reading one to one at Melbourn Village College and likes writing poetry, having had a poem published in The Athlete. (Why don’t you write a poem for us, Pat?) Oh, and she just throws in dressmaking and wedding cake making as well.

Colin has run three London Marathons and goes out cycling most Sundays and still does marshalling for cycle time trials. His present bike is an AJS 250 Stormer motorcross converted to a road bike. He is proud of the fact that he is a true cockney whereas Pat, although her parents were Cockneys, was actually born ‘oop’ north. Colin’s woodworking skills were learned from Pat’s father, not his own father, I think making a guitar from scratch with no previous knowledge of making musical instruments is pretty amazing.

I have been doing village profiles now for 94 issues and I never fail to be amazed at the stories people have to tell. Get Pat talking about some of the spicier weddings at which she officiated! Mavis Howard

For the Community by the Community

Supporting local artists at the Hub

The Hub is proud to provide a variety of services for a diverse local community.

We installed a gallery during the last year to provide a space for local artists. Artists have the opportunity to exhibit their work on the Hub walls which provides a light and bright space to showcase their wonderful creations, with a steady stream of people providing an audience whilst enjoying the cafe and library. Customers can come in for a cuppa, meet the artists and view the paintings and photos which are also available to purchase.

Please come and support the local artists and maybe even purchase a painting! For each piece of art that is sold, a percentage of the sale goes towards the ongoing running costs of the Hub. Details of upcoming exhibitions and info about the artists can be found on the online calendar on the Hub website www.melbournhub.co.uk/events-calendar

A big thank you to all the artists that have already exhibited, or will exhibit in 2018; Sue Cane, Gordon Shaw, Ros Ridley, Phyllis Dunseth, Christine Pattison, Vivienne Machell, Valerie Pettifer, George Meliniotis, David Hone, Siân Davies, Gina Ferrari and Anna Pye.

Contact us for more information

Email centremanager@melbournhub.co.uk or call 01763 263303 visit our website www.melbournhub.co.uk @thehubmelbourn Facebook Follow us on