Harry Church

Harry and 'Kath' Church

Writings, 'Council Comments' and Tributes by Harry Church

click 1975 Francis Mead. Obituary of the Clerk to the Parish Council by Harry Church

click Professor Pickerton. Inventor living at 'The Quarries, Walters Ash

click 1979 Quiz set by Harry Church

click Kay Sampson. Obituary by Harry.

click Harold & Ivy Weller . Obituary of Ivy Weller by Harry

click Ralph & Jessie Biggs. Obituary of Jessie Biggs by Harry.

click Harry & Elsie Macro. Obituary of Elsie Macro by Harry

click Harry and "Pop" Parslow. Obituary of "Pop" Parslow by Harry

Harry Church died in 1980. Ted Janes (Hallmark editor) wrote and published the following obituary in Hallmark :-

Harry Church B.E.M. always said, when it suited him, that he was not a native of Lacey Green, and that is true, but he came here as a very young child, went to Lacey Green School and was to all intents and purposes a native. It was at school that he first saw such primitive conditions that he fought so hard and successfully to improve in later life.

Harry Church. 3rd bike from the left

His energy and enthusiasm for life as a young man was, like many young men of today, channelled into motor-cycling, rallying and competitions, a member of the Bucks Motor Club, captain of his team and a life long member of the Association of Pioneer Motor Cycles. (put Bucks Motor Club in Search for other members)

Very interested and active in all village affairs, particularly the Sports Club, playing both football and cricket.

He was a member of the Methodist Church.

In 1937 he married Kathleen Brown (click Kathleen Church), and like all great men in public life, she was a power behind him.

He worked in High Wycombe as a factory maintenance engineer, but in 1939 joined the Air Ministry Staff at Walters Ash, in what was then Bomber Command. As a maintenance engineer he was on 24 hour call throughout most of the war years, and for his services received the British Empire Medal.

He was first elected to the Parish Council in 1948 and served for 28 years, resigning in 1976. For six years he was chairman.

After several unsuccessful attempts as Labour Candidate for Wycombe R.D.C. and Bucks Count Council he was elected to the Wycombe Rural District Council as an Independent in 1951. Much to the contempt of his many Socialist friends. But independent was indeed his station in life - I never met a more independent minded man.

He showed no fear nor favour to business men, industrialists, Trade Union Officials, or anyone who opposed his concept of achieving the best for the Lacey Green Parish; local government badly need such independent minded people today.

He served continuously on the Council till 1974 when the Wycombe R.D.C., Wycombe Borough and Marlow Urban Council merged to form the Wycombe District Council During those years he served on nearly all major committees, being Chairman or Vice-Chairman of many, and for two years he was Chairman of the Council. He continued to serve on the new Wycombe District Council but was never happy in this new 'town' orientated authority.

During his 28 years of service, the committee, management boards etc, he has served are too numerous to mention. Always being sports minded probably he regarded his personal triumph as his part in bringing to fruition the Handy Cross Sports Centre. But to my mind it was his constant fight to improve village conditions, education, transport, housing, sanitation etc. I remember our Member of Parliament of around 1950 telling me that the dossier submitted by Harry to the Ministry of Transport on the case for a bus service to Lacey Green was the finest case he had ever seen prepared by a lay-man.

In 1976 when he was defeated by the late Geoffrey Spear, he took defeat hard, not that he didn't expect it someday, he understood democratic principles more than most, it was the way it came; by a handful of votes, people he had helped, people he called friends who didn't bother to vote. I tried to console him with the fact that this wasn't personal but apathy, but to no avail, he never got over that defeat.

I saw the old sparkle only a few times after that, when talking about his expert raspberry growing, while cleaning and mounting his collection of cups and medals won for motor cycling and angling and his recent return to writing for 'Hallmark' about the village from his wonderful memory.

I never met anyone with such a grasp of local government, I consulted him regularly and shall certainly miss him.

His 'Hallmark' articles were very informative and often philosophical. I remember once complaining that people were not coming forward to assist in village life, and he replied, "All my life it has been the 'few' who have in some small way inspired the 'many' to help when the need arises". Harry Church was indeed one of the 'few'.

Our sympathy goes to his wife, Kath.