Gladys Bird

Born September 23 1920

Died February 15 2010

The death has occurred at Bloomfield Care Centre Paulton of Gladys Bird who lived for the majority of her life at Timsbury until a severe stroke forced her to give up her home in South Road. Miss Bird who was 89 was one of four children but only her sister Eileen Hancock is still alive.

Miss Bird was born in the Radford area of Timsbury and was one of the last pupils to be only educated at the school at Mill Lane before the opening of the Secondary School in the village in 1934. After leaving school she worked in service before going to Coventry where she worked on a hospital switchboard. During World War Two she was on the switchboard at The Shadow factory in Temple Cloud which was built for the Parnall Aircraft Company after its Yate factory was bombed. During this time she was a victim of a hit and run accident and it was only the speedy work of local GP Dr Crook that prevented her losing a leg. Miss Bird was then to work at the Dents glove factory in Radstock before going to Clark’s shoe factory in Westfield from where she retired.

Although she had no children of her own Miss Bird thought the world of her seven nephews and nieces. She was not a great socialiser and the family was very important to her. Her main interests were knitting, sewing and gardening.

The funeral service at Timsbury Tabor Church was conducted by Margaret West and was followed by interment alongside her mother and father in Timsbury cemetery.

One of her nephews, Geoffrey Bratt said, “ We couldn’t have wished for a better auntie. She was a popular workmate and generous to a fault.. Even after her illness she remained bright and cheerful and always enjoyed a joke”.

A young photo of Gladys Bird

Report by Malcolm Tucker


Page published on: 21st March, 2010
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