Ethel Chamberlain
June 1910 – 2002
Ethel Ruby Atkins was born in Arundel and was therefore a Mullet. Her father was a watch and clock-maker and Ethel was proud to have one of his clocks hung in her home. She went to school in Arundel and though she passed her entrance exam for Grammar school, she was not able to take up her place. She kept the accounts in a butcher shop.
In her spare time she went with her friends to dancing classes, sporting, social and church events. It was on one of these occasions she met Arthur Chamberlain from Slindon. After a four year engagement, they married in 1940 starting married life in Fontwell and moving to Church Hill in 1944. Among her many wedding gifts she received a canteen of cutlery from Violet, Lady Beaumont and Mr Wootton Issacson as well one of Mr Pearce’s wonderful paintings. Mr Pearce was formerly the butler at Slindon House.
The dancing classes paid off. 40 years later it was still ajoy to watch Son and Ethel dance in the Coronation Hall. They had two children John and Hazel.
Ethel not only looked after her home and children, the list of her activitiesgives us a glimpse of life in Slindon as it used to be. She was a member of the Operatic Society of the W.I. (sometime president) and of the Red Cross Group (Toc H, with Miss Marriott). She captained the stool ball team and for many years was the scorer for the cricket Club.
She was an active member of St Mary’s Church and was a member of the PCC. Her children sang in the choir like their father before them. She helped at The Church fete and she and Son always ran the raffle at the Harvest Supper. She was secretary of the local branch of The Conservative Party and collected money for the Poppy Day Appeal for 60 years.
One of Ethel’s great loves was poetry. She was a founder member of the Poetry Group. Some of her own poems were published in the Parish Magazine as well as in the local press. She wrote Nativity plays for the children of The Primary School.
Ethel was a good friend to many people in Slindon.