France Jack
The Seavington News - February 1993
OBITUARIES
FRANCE JACK
France Jack, to give her all her names Andre Marthe Marie Therese, was born in Montpelier, France, on Armistice Day, 11th November 1918 the daughter of Blance and Andre d’Auriol. Her first name was her mothers tribute to the Allied Victory.
Educated in France, she came to England when her mother married Donald Paton prior to the second World War.
In 1939 she joined her mother and step-father in Trinidad and, a year later, made the perilous journey by sea back to England. There she joined General de Gaulle’s Free French Forces and following the invasion of Europe was very soon serving in France, for which she received the Free French Campaign Medal. Following a short period after the War working in London, France visited her mother and stepfather in the Sudan and there met and shortly afterwards married Alan in the Catholic Cathedral, Khartoum in 1948. After self government has been proclaimed there, France and Alan went to Qatar in the Persian Gulf where Alan was the Resident Civil Engineer.
On leaving Qatar, the couple brought Seavington House and set up an antique business first in Glastonbury and later in Ditton Street, Ilminster. Sadly, Alan died in 1979.
Feance was possessed of great energy and drive and the interests of Seavington and its inhabitants were very close to her heart. She initiated the Seavington Group, comprising the late Mr Donald Deacon, a Mr Eastwood and herself, assisted by Alan, and this body obtained the original lease of the playing field from Mr Ewen Cameron. Hers was the driving force that led to the establishment of the Playing Fields Association leading to the eventual purchase of the Field itself.
In the earlier days of fund-raising, France had a caravan on the forecourt of the Seavington Garage selling hot dogs and other refreshments to people passing through. This was transported to ilminster for the Carnival where, again, money was raised for the Playing Field Association.
She was very much a “doer” and had little patience with those she considered were obstructionists. If she thought something was right, she went ahead and did it. She had a great number of friends both in this country and abroad and during her last illness there was a constant stream of visitors to Middlefield Barn.
In spite of her other activities, France together with Mrs Alexander also founded the Seavington Newsletter in December 1980, and for many years was the Editor and the organiser of waste paper sales and advertising in order to assist in its finances.
Her founding of the Stitchers and other activities are referred to else where in our magazine but mention must be made of the annual Stitchers party where virtually all the inhabitants of Seavington are regaled with wonderful food, drink and gossip by the Lady Stitchers. All this was initiated by her.
France, not surprisingly showed great courage and fortitude during her illness. Her energy and drive, and not least her great affection for the village and all her friends, will be greatly missed and all our sympathies go out to her family and particularly her daughter, Charlotte.