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FROM THE CHURCHES’ REGISTERS Baptisms at St Giles’ Baptism at the URC Confirmation at St Giles’ Confirmation and Reception into URC Church Membership Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium Burial at Northwood Cemetery Cremation at Mortlake Crematorium
ST GILES’ CHURCH STREET PRAYER LIST Each Sunday at St Giles’ Church we pray for all the people who live or work in a particular road in the Parish. During December and January we will pray for the following roads: Dec 4th Clovelly Avenue Jan 1st Cranston Close If you live in one of these roads why not join us at our 8am or 9.45am services? You will be most welcome.
THE DEAN OF SPECIAL EFFECTS
For we were there to witness the unveiling of Hillingdon Borough’s seventh Blue Plaque, in honour of Brenda’s husband, one of the film industry’s top men and double Academy Award winner John Stears. John, who died in 1999 aged 65, was a special effects expert whose models, gadgets and inventions graced films made in both Britain and Hollywood. He was born in Uxbridge in 1934 and lived in the house in Ickenham until 1960. Two long standing residents and contemporaries remember John as a playmate from those early days. Howard Mellor still lives in the house opposite, and Allan Edwards shared John’s early passion (though not his brilliance) for model making. John Stears was a pupil of Breakspear School, then of Swakeleys Secondary. He studied at Harrow College of Art and Southall Technical School before working as a draughtsman with the Air Ministry. It was his work at Pinewood Studios on the special effects for the film about Douglas Bader - Reach for the Sky - that brought his abilities to the notice of the film industry. And given his local connections it is no coincidence that A Night To Remember, using his model of the Titanic, was filmed at Ruislip Lido. He went on to work on a number of the James Bond films, developing the special features of 007’s Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger and later in Thunderball. These included fitted machine guns, ejector seat and fog maker. For this and for a range of effects, including spectacular exploding yachts and underwater work, he was awarded the first of his Oscars for his work on Thunderball in 1965. The gadgets he invented made him the real-life Q of the Bond films, although he was also charged with developing weapons for the enemy – Oddjob’s steel rimmed bowler hat, employed as a lethal frisbee was another Stears’ invention! Known in the film world as the ‘Dean of Special Effects,’ he was also feted for his work on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and then on Star Wars. Yes, it was an ex-Ickenham resident who brought us R2D2, C3P0 and the light saber, and for this he won a second Oscar in 1977! DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
They were introduced as teenagers in Chislehurst, Kent but Ann had previously had her eye on John while he sang in the local church choir. Their first date came in 1947, just before he joined the Royal Air Force as an RAF Apprentice. They married four years later on John’s 21st birthday and set up home in Weymouth. After that, thanks to life in the forces, they lived in another 21 houses, in four different countries, before ending up in their ‘retirement’ home in Long Lane. As St Giles’ Verger, John was spending a lot of time in the church. He sees the role as ‘Stage Manager’, setting up the requirements for weddings, funerals, burials and special services. He has also personally identified and indexed about 1,100 of the graves in the churchyard. As a past Chairman of the ‘Holy Mowers’ he shared with other volunteers the ongoing task of maintaining the churchyard. Before he retired he was an Air Traffic Controller at West Drayton, the job which brought the couple to Ickenham in 1972. Ann, who used to work at the War Office, taught at Sunday School then joined the St Giles’ choir, where she’s been singing for about 30 years. She played the church organ in the past and still teaches piano. She’s a member of the Mothers’ Union, Deanery Chairman, bereavement visitor, and is in the Trefoil Guild (for ex-Guiders). In the midst of such busy lives they have raised four children, and are now the proud grandparents of six. Their secret for a happy marriage? They always saw it as a lifelong commitment and they’ve always maintained their love for each other, their children and the church. On this Bond themed ICN page, diamonds really are forever! |
ickenhamchurchnews.co.uk
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Congratulations to Ann and John Ralph who celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary (and John’s birthday) on 10th November! They are a well known couple locally, given their involvement with many activities, particularly to do with St Giles’, where John was, until recently, Verger, and Ann is a long-standing member of the choir.