Local Talk Back Dec 2013

VERA BRIGHT 1944 - 2013
Dave, Jackie and Simon would like to thank the many
family and friends who came along to pay tribute to one
of life’s true characters, Vera Mary Bright, also known as
Hyacinth, or Lady Bucket. The family appreciated that
many travelled from far and wide to support the family
and pay tribute to Vera’s life.
Vera Maggs was born in Hambrook in 1944 where she
lived with her parents Lillian and Sydney for many happy years. She was educated at the
local primary school, Winterbourne Secondary Modern, now known as The Ridings and later
at Downed school where she excelled at needlework. She had one brother, Ronny, but he
was tragically killed in a motor cycle accident at the age of 17.
On leaving school she followed her interest in needlework by gaining employment at
Waltham Gardeners, a fabric and materials sewing company in Staple Hill, and as a home
help. She married Garnet Stevens in 1963 and they moved to Filton where she worked at
Ataburies petrol station and lived in a caravan at the rear of the garage. It was here that Jackie
was born the following year and in 1965 Simon arrived. Vera used to say that he was a little
angel until he learnt to walk and then all hell let loose! Later that year she took a job with a
successful car accessories business with whom she stayed for a number of years.
In 1975 Vera moved to Mark in Somerset where she made many good friends. After a split
in her marriage she moved back to a flat in Clifton in 1980
and later to Fishponds. It was whilst living if Fishponds
that one evening she went on a skittle night out to
Badminton Club where, during the course of the night, she
looked through into the bar and said to a total stranger, “Can
you play skittles.” “Aaagh I can” was the reply in a broad
Gloucestershire accent. The stranger of course was Dave
and this was the spark that lit their fire and ignited their
relationship.
By now Vera had a job at Patco where she was eventually
promoted to transport manager, but it wasn’t long before she
found her niche at Hazel Bushel Florists where her passion
for flowers developed and expanded.
1n 1986 Dave moved in with Vera at Fishponds, but they
spent a lot of the time in the Badminton area where Vera
soon became part of the furniture, so it was almost inevitable that eventually they would
move back to the area and were married 9 years ago.
Vera together with Dave mostly, enjoyed a range of sporting interests, including horse racing,
Gloucester rugby, Bristol City, Manchester United and Gloucestershire cricket. She enjoyed
flower arranging, gardening, sewing and travelling. She had an addiction for hats for all
occasions, but her favourite had to be the Aunty Doris hat.
She was a woman with a huge heart, she was honoured with life membership of Hambrook
social club, a member of Badminton club where she arranged whist drives, a voluntary
cleaner at the two Badminton churches and she loved pub games having captained the Fox
and Hounds crib team and the skittles team at the Sandringham in Downend and she played
dominos for the Cross Keys in Yate.