Local Lynx Issue 128 - October/November 2019

Just a Cuppa
Every Friday 10.30am - 12 noon. Join us for a drink and a
chat.
FREE CREATIVE WRITING PROJECT
Sat. 19 Oct. from 1-4pm, led by Bob Ward
Copeman Centre, Briston NR24 2LG
Any style of writing inspired by medieval carvings in
local churches; mermaids, gargoyles, humans… For more
details: Charlie casma5346@icloud.com/ 01328 258154 or
James ramsey.jas@gmail.com/ 01263 502309.
BALE
Contact: Jane Wheeler 01328 878656
design@janewheeler.co.uk
COLONEL PEGGY BURGE
1922 - 2019
Peggy enjoyed her childhood, growing up in a area of
West London not far from Heathrow, which was then a
market garden, highlighting one of the myriad of huge
changes that she witnessed in her 96 years. Working as a
Red Cross nurse during WW2, Peggy decided after the war
that she would like to serve her country further by joining
the armed services. Initially she chose the Royal Navy,
changing to the army after a couple of years when she
realised it would afford her an opportunity to be posted
overseas thereby satisfying her desire for travel. She trained
as a nurse with the QARANC within the army at Kings
College Hospital London. She served postings in Germany,
Cyprus and Hong Kong which allowed her to travel even
further afield in off duty periods. Later she was to return to
the UK, becoming Matron at Millbank Hospital London
where the top officers in the army were treated. She also
attained the rank of Colonel, an achievement matched by
few women at the time.
It was when she retired that Peggy settled in Bale by
chance. Visiting the area with her sister in 1986, she drove
through the village and spotted a house for sale which
subsequently became her home for almost a third of her
long life. She had looked at houses all over the country from
Cumbria to Cornwall but said she knew she would be happy
in Bale. She very quickly became integrated within the
community by actively taking part in all events, fundraising
or otherwise and most importantly for Peggy, joining the
community centred around the Church.
Peggy had a great love of nature and loved watching the
changing seasons in her garden and the fields beyond. She
recently expressed a desire to plant a tree this coming
autumn, the optimum time for tree planting, and having
given it some thought, chose a Bale Oak. The tree will be
planted in her honour with others in a field not far from her
home on November 23rd which would have been her 97th
birthday. She died peacefully on July 13th. All living things
change, the Bale community being no exception. Peggy will
be very sadly missed and remembered with a smile.
Terri Carter
BALE PCC’S TRIBUTE TO
PEGGY BURGE
Well, we have lost a very good friend!
Having joined the PCC in 1983 and, almost through to
attending our last meeting on 15th April, Peggy was a
working, practical and erudite member. Starting with
organising the Church Cleaning Rota and keeping the
Electoral Role updated, she then took on the application for
Gift Aid repayments at its inception – and only gave that up
four years ago when she got so ‘fed-up with the constant
changes in completing the HMRC forms’!
We know that, until recently, she lead a full life both
visiting her family and enjoying holidays with friends and
ex colleagues. There was The Bale Gang of Four; Peggy
Burge, Betty and Bill Carter and David Hammond who, for
a long time, played bridge seriously and went out to lunch
together on an almost weekly basis.
Peggy only gave up driving comparatively recently,
when it became absolutely necessary. Let’s remember that
she arranged her own funeral, with relatives Jim (delegated
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