Bill & Phyllis Dell

click Dell for others in this family

click Families for other local families

Bill Dell

William Frederick Dell, known as 'Bill' born 1917 was the son of Cecil James Dell & Louisa Saunders.

Phyllis Roseina Ellen Adams born 1924 was the daughter of Min & Fred Adams

Bill and Phyllis married in 1948 click Dell for others in this family.

In 1965 they are mentioned in the Assent attached to Emily Hickman's Will. as living in Kia Cottage (This Assent Document is archived in Lacey Green Village Hall)

They moved to a house soon after this, called 'Ashlea', on the corner of Lacey Green Main Road and Westlands Road.

Bill and Phyllis had 4 children as follows :-

Michael Frederick Cecil Dell born 1951 married Pamela Chambers in 1974. click Michael & Pam Dell for their life story.

Linda Mary Dell born 1955 married Christopher Pomeroy in 1975. click Linda & Chris Pomeroy for their life story

Philip John Dell born 1956 married Elaine Jennifer Field in 1978 click Philip & Elaine Dell for their life story

Stuart William Dell born 1964 married Karen Gilliland in 1986

Phyllis Dell represented the Parochial Church Council of Lacey Green Church on the Village Hall Committee from at least 1979 to 1989

In 2000 Phyllis described her schooldays in a questionnaire at a school reunion. click 1938 School memories by Phillis Adams

Phyllis added to the questionnaire "This was not to be my last connection with the school because when my children were attending St. John's, I was asked to serve on the P.T.A. This invitation I accepted with the greatest pleasure. Later I was secretary and what fun, a joy it was, working with such a wonderful band of mothers organising jumble sales & fetes, etc. to raise money for the school, but the greatest pleasure I had was when we had raised enough money to provide St John's with their first Swimming Pool."

The Obituaries of Bill and Phyllis follow beneath the following snippets :-

Phyllis Dell represented the Parochial Church Council (Lacey Green Church) on the Village Hall Committee for at least the years 1979 to 1986

Comment from Phillip & Elaine Dell. Bill was an avid supporter of Arsenal Football Club and Lacey Green Sports and Social Club, where he played cricket and football for many years. He also went to Silverstone to follow motor racing and took the family with him. He socialised at the pub, loved dancing and played in a band as a drummer.

Extract from Hallmark written by the Editor

For 50 years the Village Hall was lovingly cared for in a caretaker capacity by Mrs Min Adams, and if that’s not enough her husband Fred Adams was secretary or joint secretary for 40 years.   Also their daughter Phyllis Adams, married to Bill Dell, is at present (1983) the longest serving member of my committee.   A unique record of 60 years dedication to me by one family

Extract from the Wycombe Observer. For the full article go to 1964

In later life Min Adams, Phyllis's mother specialised in making lace handkerchief borders for brides.   Phyllis still had a number of examples in traditional Bucks patterns like Duke’s Garter and Water Lily.   She made proper shaped corners and often did her own thread work on the handkerchief.   Minnie made 16 yards of lace for her daughter’s wedding veil.    This has since been cut up for her grandchildren’s christening gowns.   What a labour of love!

Phyllis's work at Bomber Command in WW2

During WW2, Phyllis worked at Bomber Command, making maps on thin cotton fabric.    Later her mother used this to make the hankies for her lace edgings, once the map pattern had been washed off.   

Phyllis Dell's memories as told to Rosemary Mortham.

Min and Fred Adams, the parents of Phyllis had attended the Methodist Chapel and Phyllis can remember that they had very good outings and picnics in the dell in the field opposite, where there was a pond.

A Calling to Church

Minnie, Phyllis's mother, told her that her father Fred had a sudden calling telling him to go to church.  He felt he had to obey, and Minnie decided that she should go with him. As a small child Phyllis used to sit in the choir stalls with her parents at evensong.

They were to become lifelong supporters of the church.   Fred was Vicar’s churchwarden for 40 years.   Fred Martin was the people’s churchwarden.   Phyllis believes that they may have been founder members of the choir under Reverend Steward.   She cannot recall there being a choir in the time of Reverend Gee.

See 1929 Fred gets a Calling for the full article.

P.S.

Family Carries on the Tradition

Phyllis remained a choir member until the 1970s.   Both her sons were in the choir, and her daughter Linda used to sit with her in the choir stalls from the age of 3.   She was on the Parochial Church Council (PCC) for 18 years as Secretary    (Phyllis sadly died in 2011).

Obituary of Bill Dell, 2004. Published in Hallmark, written by Geoff Gomme on behalf of the Sports Club.

In early October , we lost a long-serving member of this club, a man who gave unstintingly of his time, his money and his physical effort to promote the interests of Lacey Green Sports & Social Club. Bill Dell was, as far as I am aware, the last of those pre-war (1939-45) members who worked and dreamed of making our ground and facilities the best in the area.

He helped to replace the old shed-like tiny building with the present pavilion. He rolled and mowed, repaired where necessary and held many offices over the years. He was a founder member of the Mid-Bucks League, formed with the purpose of promoting better grounds and facilities and became the first President in 1974 until he relinquished the post in 1980.

As a cricketer, I'm told by older members that he was the best wicket-keeper the Green ever Had. I do know that when e retired from the 1st XI and played for the 2nds -- well into his 50's -- he was he best I have been privileged to play with. The records show that when, as a young lad, he played his first season in the 1st XI, he claimed 27 "victims" stumped and caught. It will be a long time before that is surpassed -- or even equalled.

Bill loved his football too. As a youngster, he played mostly for Parkfield in Princes Risborough and he was of course an avid Arsenal fan -- woe betide anyone who ran down the Arsenal!

The respect in which he was held was shown at the church service by the large attendance and the number of cricketers and former cricketers of many local clubs who came to say their farewells. I, and all those others who played cricket or against him, I'm sure, send our condolences to Phyllis and all of the Dell family.

Obituary of Phyllis Dell, 2011. Published in Hallmark, written by Geoff Gomme on behalf of the Sports Club.

Phyllis was a village girl. Her connection to the Sports Club was that she firstly was married to out late wicket-keeper, Bill Dell and secondly, before Lynn from the Black Horse took over the catering, she was one of the volunteers who gave up their Saturday afternoons to prepare teas for us players.

My earliest memory of Phyllis was when I was in the infants class at St John's. She would have been in the top class at the time as she was older. Our much loved teacher Miss Jarvis one day asked us to write down who we thought was the prettiest girl in the school (a bit of a romantic, Miss Jarvis). The result was unanimous. We all wrote down Phyllis's name (yes, we could read and write aged six or seven in those days). Considering there were many good-looking girls in the school at the time that was quite a compliment and well deserved. Phyllis never lost her good looks; a lovely lady. R.I.P.

Additional Comment by Joan West, past President of the Sports Club.

Ted Biggs had held the Minutes of the Sports Club for many years and when he moved to Kimble he took them with him - for safe keeping! Having taken over as President I persuaded him that they should stay within the Club and he handed them over to me.

They were a fascinating read and I was impressed by how Phyllis and Marion, Jack Dell's wife, both on that committee in the early days, had done such an incredible amount to organise fund-raising to get the club on its feet and thriving.

I held the Minute Books for 25 years and when I resigned handed them over to the Club. Now, wanting to quote from these minutes it appears that nobody knows where they are, therefore it is only from my memory that I can tell you how much hard and successful work Phyllis and Marion did for the Sports Club.

The current members of the club are totally unaware of what these women achieved.