Gillian’s story
Date of news/blog: 15th November 2024Had the bomb that dropped in her North London back garden during World War Two exploded, it’s very possible Gillian Sparks would not be alive today to tell the tale.
Thankfully, it didn’t go off and as result 91-year-old Gillian has managed to a live a long and eventful life, and there’s no sign of her slowing down just yet.
After the near escape with the bomb, Gillian’s family moved to rural Herefordshire and the city of Hereford, where she has called home ever since.
She recalls: “We didn’t see the bomb but we heard something fall into the garden and when my dad saw what he was he immediately shut the door and we all left from the front of the house.
“Unfortunately, that was life in London during the war. It was a very scary time, and I still remember having to carry gas masks wherever we went. They were horrible.”
Life in Hereford didn’t bring unexploded bombs. Gillian’s dad Ernest got a job working for the local newspaper, The Hereford Times, where he was a Monotype Operator. This was an important piece of equipment in the production of newspapers in that period and involved typesetting on a keyboard.
Jobs Gillian did during her working life included being a school secretary, and selling tractors, she describes herself as the “Gill of all Trades.”
Gillian met her late husband Brian on a a blind date and they hit it off immediately. After a courtship they were married (for 47 years in total) and went on to have three children, Zoe, Robert and Vicki. Gillian now has five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Gillian had a talent for ballroom dancing and was so good she won 15 awards during her dancing career – The Johnny Dankworth Big Band.
She danced in her a dress which was handmade by her mother Ida who worked as a Seamstress in Harrods.
Gillian, whose grand-daughter Sophie captured Gillian’s story in a book, came to Brockington in March 2024 after she fell and broke her hip. This required a hip replacement and whilst she was recovering from the operation she had a stroke.
Along with her family she agreed it would be better if she lived at a care home and they choose Brockington after receiving several recommendations and having visited the home as well.
At Brockington, Gillian likes to keep active and enjoys the Oomph seated exercises and quizzes. She also likes going on our outings in the minibus. Her daughter Zoe has been with her on some of these outings.
Zoe says: “Brockington House is like a hotel. It’s made a big difference to mum and gives us all peace of mind that she is being well looked after here.”