Barbara Jones

Barbara Jones

b: JUL 1922
d: 15 AUG 2007
Biography
Eulogy, read at her funeral

"Some of you will know Barbara as a member of the "Miller" family, but before she was a "Miller", she was a "Jones".

Barbara Mary Jones was born on 9th July 1922 in Dukinfield, to Cathleen and Joseph Jones.

Her brother, Gerry, was born 4 years earlier. Many of you will remember Gerry, who died in 1993. As children and young adults, Barbara and Gerry had a close relationship. They had many mutual friends and socialised together.

Barbara was always particularly fond and proud of her father, Joe, who was an internationally renowned authority on gas engines and travelled the world. He also developed the first dual fuel gas engine and the first high compression gas engine.

Barbara went to school at the former Nôtre Dame girls' school. About the time she was due to leave school, the 2nd World War started. Her brother, Gerry did not think "joining the forces" was a suitable option for her as "he knew what the men got up to"! So she decided to attend engineering courses and later got a job as buyer in an engineering firm.

Barbara often talked to her children about the strange emotions that affected people during the war. There was a sort of "live for today, as tomorrow might never come", attitude. Barbara also talked about the carefree social life that she and many of her peers enjoyed.

At the firm where Barbara worked was another employee, Kathleen Miller. After the war Kath suggested one day that Barbara join her at a local dance that night. There she introduced Barbara to her brother, Bernard Miller, who had been in the RAF.

Bernard kept a basic diary, intermittently. On Wednesday, the 6th March 1946 he had written, "Demob leave expired - Fully fledged civy". Two days later he wrote, "With K [Kathleen, his sister] to Duk Golf Club dance, frigid flop in some ways, met my Waterloo in the shape of BJ" [clearly referring to "Barbara Jones"].

Over the following five weeks he made several references in his diary to "sorties" and "seshes" with "BJ", although in one entry he remarked that he "made the usual hash at the end". However, in May the following year, they became engaged.

Barbara was a strong Catholic and she persuaded Bernard to convert to Catholicism. A Franciscan friar, Father Aidan Jackson ("George"), who became a lifelong friend and a drinking pal, instructed Bernard in Catholicism. On 11th September 1948, Father Aidan married Bernard and Barbara at Gorton Monastery. (Father Aidan later became godfather to Jane.)

Barbara had also been a keen golfer and member of Dukinfield Golf Club since the age of 17. As well as Catholicism, she converted Bernard to golf too!

In 1948 their first home was in Ashton, and then in 1951 Peter was born. In 1953 they moved to Disley, not far from Disley Golf Club, and in 1954 Jane was born. Then in 1957 they moved to Barlow Fold Road, Romiley, undoubtedly to be close to Romiley Golf Club, of which they became lifelong members. Cath was born two years later, in 1959.

Bernard and Barbara's strong partnership extended beyond family life. They were keen and active golfers and had many golfing friends.

In 1952, Bernard also purchased and expanded a photographic dealer's business, and Barbara worked for him in it, part-time, once Cath was at school.

When Bernard died in 1983, Barbara was inconsolable. Although she was a strong character, she had worshiped Bernard and was very close to him. Her family and close friends at the time supported her as best they could. Her faith also provided some comfort and support. However, Barbara was never the same, after Bernard had gone.

The year after Bernard died, Barbara agreed to become the Lady Captain at Romiley Golf Club. This provided a very useful distraction for her. She was determined to carry on with her life and outwardly appeared to have recovered from Bernard's death. It was a few of her closest friends who knew that Barbara was struggling with the loss of her best friend, Bernard.

Barbara was a perfect mother to Peter, Jane and Cath. All three remember their childhood as idyllic. She loved and cared for them and was always at home for them throughout their younger days. She was also always there for them, even after they'd left home, when they needed her support.

At one time Peter thought he had met the love of his life at Cambridge, but became very depressed when his girlfriend unexpectedly ended the relationship. Barbara was so concerned that she travelled all the way to Kent to comfort him and make sure he was alright.

Jane has had a serious of major and minor accidents throughout her life, and the tales of "Calamity Jane" were always a family joke. But in 1992, when Jane had a serious skiing accident that left her in a coma for 10 days, Barbara was at her side every day, until she came round. When Jane was in a rehabilitation unit Barbara drove 25 miles to see her several times a week.

In 1997, Barbara became a very proud Grandma. Cath's daughter Aimée was the long-awaited grandchild that Barbara thought she would never have. Aimée was adored by her Grandma, and a very special relationship developed between them. Aimée, who is now 10 years old, has, understandably, been very upset at her Grandma's death. In Barbara's last 4 weeks Aimée regularly visited her to give her a hug at the hospital and in the Meadows hospice, including on the day before Barbara died. A sign of their special relationship was when Aimée was asked if she wanted to put anything in Grandma's coffin. She chose a special little card, with a poem on it, that she had given to Grandma - and some chocolate! How well they knew each other!

Cath particularly remembers a time when her "back went" and she was unable to get out of bed for a whole week. She had just separated from Aimée's father. Aimée was two at the time, and had only just mastered the art of walking and needed a lot of attention. Barbara, unselfishly arrived every morning at 6 to attend to Aimée and Cath, which included missing her regular Monday and Thursday slots at the Golf Club! This cemented a regular weekend slot for the "two single girls", getting together for food, and more importantly wine, for the following 8 years.

Barbara refused to grow old gracefully. She kept playing golf until she was 81. She vowed she would never live in a bungalow, as going up and down the numerous stairs in her house would keep her fit. She was insistent that she would not go into an "old people's" home, as she viewed these as "God's waiting room" for old people - and she was not old!

Despite Barbara's determined, "young-at-heart" approach and her longstanding independence, her health started to decline in her eighties. For the first time, she began to recognise that she was not invincible - much to her disgust. She started to lose confidence in herself, and when she was eventually advised to stop driving, that seemed to be the final straw for her, as it meant losing her former independence.

Since Bernard's death, the bond between Barbara, Peter, Jane, Cath and, more recently, Aimée, had already strengthened. The last few years of her life have been the most difficult for the whole family, and she has fought every inch of the way. Her illness has actually brought the family even closer to each other.

Her death leaves a huge void in all of their lives. She had been the pillar of strength that had held the family together. She will always be in Peter, Jane, Cath and Aimée's hearts and in their thoughts.

May God take Barbara into his care and unite her with Bernard and her other departed family and friends."
Facts
  • JUL 1922 - Birth -
  • 15 AUG 2007 - Death -
  • 1939 - Fact -
Ancestors
   
Samuel Shepley Jones
25 MAR 1862 - 1932
 
 
Joseph Jones
1 OCT 1893 - 31 OCT 1976
  
  
  
Martha HULME
15 APR 1861 - 1927
 
Barbara Jones
JUL 1922 - 15 AUG 2007
  
 
  
 
 
Cathleen Maud Wright
25 APR 1893 - 7 MAY 1983
  
  
  
Ada
-
 
Family Group Sheet - Child
PARENT (M) Joseph Jones
Birth1 OCT 1893
Death31 OCT 1976 Romiley, Cheshire, England. After mass in St Christophers Church, to Dukinfield Crematorium
Marriageto Cathleen Maud Wright
FatherSamuel Shepley Jones
MotherMartha HULME
PARENT (F) Cathleen Maud Wright
Birth25 APR 1893
Death7 MAY 1983
Marriageto Joseph Jones
FatherCharles Wright
MotherAda
CHILDREN
MGerard (Gerry) Jones
BirthAPR 1918
DeathNOV 1993
FBarbara Jones
BirthJUL 1922
Death15 AUG 2007
Marriage11 SEP 1948to Bernard Lawton Miller
Family Group Sheet - Spouse
PARENT (M) Bernard Lawton Miller
Birth
Death1983
Marriage11 SEP 1948to Barbara Jones
FatherRobert Shaw Miller
MotherBertha Annie Lawton
PARENT (F) Barbara Jones
BirthJUL 1922
Death15 AUG 2007
Marriage11 SEP 1948to Bernard Lawton Miller
FatherJoseph Jones
MotherCathleen Maud Wright
CHILDREN
Private
Birth
Death
Private
Birth
Death
Marriageto Rory Gregory
Private
Birth
Death
Marriageto Anthony Howarth
Marriageto Paul Johnson
Descendancy Chart
Barbara Jones b: JUL 1922 d: 15 AUG 2007