February Collage Photo Festival - Day 13

Periodically I have mentioned my Great Aunt Rose, who was the sister of my Grandfather. This is her. Born Rose Butcher to Charles Butcher and Annie Prudence nee Harris in April 1900 at Wanborough. Rose was the eldest of the siblings and for the whole of her life she was the stable influence in the family.

She married in 1931 to Ernest Marshall, who was her first cousin a fact that she vehemently denied, but we all knew! She grew up in an envionment where her mother looked after her mother and likewise, Aunt looked after her mother.

Aunt was an amazing woman. She worked tirelessly. She raised 3 children and worked at the farm where the family farmed in Wanborough. After 1930 the family moved to Manor Farm Onslow Village Guildford, which was where the University of Surrey now sits. Aunt carried on working on the farm and at the Manor House.

Before her married she was in service at Wanborough Manor, although I have not explored this as yet.

Aunt lived in her own home right up until she was around 90 years old. Insisting that she would manage with assistance. She went into a nursing home where she lived for about 4 years. She passed away in August 1994 and left an amazing hole in the family.  In her adult years she was a true linchpin of the family.

As a child I always visited her, into my teenage years and then adulthood I continued. We spent many, many hours together, her chatting about the old days and me writing furiously gathering the facts. She was such an amazing woman and even though we spent so much time together there are many questions that I wished I asked.

So it seemed very fitting that she take part in this photo festival, after all this is where it all started.