Ray & Jill Gosling

Ray and Jill Gosling came to Lacey Green in 1980.

Clem Brown reported on an interview with Ray Gosling published in Hallmark in 1991.

Ray Gosling, a resident of Lacey Green for 11 years (he formally lived at Widmer End), takes a close interest in local affairs, having become vice-chairman of the local council and a governor of St. John's School, devoting as much time as possible to these matters away from his professional role - an engineering manager specialising in materials testing.

Ray feels that Parish Councils are not taken as seriously as they might be, and this can be frustrating. They are supposed to represent the local voice, and Ray has previous experience of such involvement, having helped to fight off a threat of over-development in an area of outstanding natural beauty. "It is a question of the minnows versus the big developers". At the same time, Ray does not have a particularly warm opinion of Wycombe District Council. As for Lacey Green, he sees the immediate area as having expanded just about to its limits, although some infilling is inevitable in an area that, to some extent, is seen as desirable commuter territory.

Meeting Ray meant talking to the family, and that was a special pleasure. First there was Jill Gosling, at one time a veterinary nurse but now demonstrating a talent for garden design on a part-time basis.

Then there were the three charming daughters, Ann, Karen, and Rebecca. All have a feeling for the theatre, especially ballet, but Ann can claim special experience. I can instance her part as the Knave of Hearts in our LGP's "Alice" at Stocken Farm barn, and a breakthrough via Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park With George" (the National Theatre) as well as a part in the pantomime "Pussin Boots" at Windsor Theatre. At the time of writing, Ann was looking forward to a television spot in "Spooks" and had been short-listed for audition for a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. A busy girl you see: but then, the Gosling family convey that impression. Long may it last.