Louise’s Memories

I have so many memories of my dear sweet Mum.


Although she was such a famous cyclist, she took to motherhood with the same energy and enthusiasm she had for her sport. Always loving, kind and affectionate, she was happy to give her time to a small child. 


One of my earliest memories was sitting on her lap listening to the radio programme “Listen with Mother”. She used to make me laugh by tickling my face with her eye lashes, which she called “butterfly kisses”.


We were lucky enough to grow up here by the river which was a constant part of my childhood. 
Mum taught me to swim when I was two. We regularly went swimming in the local pool and the river when it was warm and at high tide, sometimes even swimming across to the Kew side.
We went out with Clive in our old rowing boat, had little picnics on the beach, fed the ducks, watched the wildlife and explored the Isleworth Ait. I remember even going for a meat pie in a nicotine stained, funny smelling small room in the old London Apprentice. 


There were occasional jaunts up to London to see Tom and Jerry cartoons at the cinema. And an annual treat was visiting the Ideal Home Exhibition where we would try all the delicious free food samples and come home with some newfangled domestic appliance to show Dad. I particularly remember watching donuts being cooked then eating the hot, sugary, greasy treats.


She loved gardening and worked tirelessly creating her special, beautiful garden out of what was then like a builders’ yard, when they bought the house. 
As a toddler I would ride my tricycle round and round the garden with Clive hanging onto the back like a charioteer, occasionally crashing onto her flower beds. I remember she was cross at the plant damage, but also laughing to see that we were enjoying ourselves so much. 
As she grew older I helped her in the garden and took orders from the “head gardener” supervising me in her chair.


As a family we went out cycling in crocodile formation round the local parks and towpaths. But I only became aware of her celebrity status as a cyclist as I got older. 
I’d go to cycling dinner and dances with Mum and Dad and she would be the focus of admiration with her cycling peers and fans eager to chat. She often made very popular after dinner speeches to much laughter and applause.


People often ask me if I’m also a cyclist and, shame-faced, I have to say no, not a “proper" cyclist, only out and about for local trips. As a student, I’d cycle five miles back from Kingston for Sunday lunch where I’d arrive red faced and sweating, only to be greeted with no sympathy at all!


She was a fierce defender of her local area - sometimes when I came back from school, I’d get feedback of incidents with graphic re-enactments!
I particularly remember Mum telling me about the time that she was walking the dog in the churchyard, when she came across a group of youths sniffing glue. She told them to clear off and one of them came towards her, menacingly swinging a bicycle chain over his head! Lesser mortals, or basically anyone with any sense, would have turned tail and run, but Mum ran at him shouting “if I catch you, I’ll wrap it round your head!” Luckily another large skinhead intervened and said sweetly “sorry about that” and they all ambled off to find a quieter haven. 


She also helped anyone in difficulties that she came across and was a heroine on more than one occasion. 
One time she saw some kids on a makeshift raft being swept along by the tide trying to get across from the island. Despite her life saving training, which tells you always jump into water, she dived in hitting her nose on the bottom and came up with blood streaming over her face which scared the kids even more! She managed to swim back to the bank pulling the raft and they scrambled to safety. Luckily she recovered but had a scar on her nose for the rest of her life.


She was kind and supportive as I grew older, helping my Dad understand that “his little girl” was turning  into a teenager, out and about with her own ideas!


Mum was a snazzy dresser throughout her life and so glamorous in her Fifties  frocks. I have an early memory of one of my grandmother’s spaniels wading into the mud at the bottom of the garden,  then coming back and shaking herself by Mum who was wearing a lovely white cotton dress with big red roses all over which was suddenly covered with extra black splodges!


She always noticed what I was wearing, especially if too scruffy but was quick praise to me for making an effort or compliment me if I managed to reach her high standards.  And only recently ordered me out of a black sweater for being too depressing!


Both mum & dad helped me with my homework, whereas Dad tried to help with my maths, Mum had a more artistic side.
Having been denied an opportunity to study art at college herself, she encouraged me to follow my interest and was more nervous than me when I went for an interview at Kingston Polytechnic. Part of the interview was showing drawings of life models. I remember I told the interviewer that the life model was my mother after he’d said that it wasn’t a good idea to draw from photos. Mum nearly crashed the car when she heard that!
As time went by, Mum and Dad attended every painting exhibition I had and always enjoyed the openings. 


Mum and Dad enjoyed exploring the UK and later travelled in Europe with both Clive, Stephen and I and also their friends Dick and Kitty, enjoying the beautiful landscapes, architecture and the cafes with giant ice creams and gateaus. Highlights of these trips were watching Christopher Ventris, Dick and Kitty’s son, sing in various opera houses.


Mum loved cooking and had a good appetite throughout her life. 
Her trifle was recently voted possibly No 1 of any dessert in the world by her family and her roast potatoes were wonderful! 


After Dad passed away in 2012, Mum and I had many happy days out together, pub lunches, visiting friends and occasional weekends away, often connected with the cycling world.
On one such occasion n 2014, we attended the Sky Ride cycling event in Coventry, where she met the Mayor and waved the starting flag with great enthusiasm, then spent the whole day meeting and chatting to her fans, her energy lasting longer than mine!


We sometimes went to the Swan pub down the road for the Sunday carvery. 
I remember one time the staff, seeing this frail little old lady, asked if I would like to order a half portion for her, I answered, “no chance, she’ll kill me!” and of course as usual she cleared her plate!


You have heard how she loved social gatherings, chatting and sharing stories. Going through the photos of Mum’s life she was always smiling and I’ve never seen a bad photo of her! She touched so many peoples’ lives and had friendships that lasted over the decades.


Many thanks to everyone for being here to share this celebration with our family. We have been overwhelmed by such kind words and wonderful memories from everyone who knew her and the extraordinary press obituaries worldwide. A special thank you to Jeanette & Stella for their loving care in her later years. And to our lovely neighbours and friends in Church Street and All Saints’ Church, who have been such a supportive community.