My friend Nell Whittingham, who has died aged 96, relished adventure. When her husband Barrie’s career took their family to Zambia in the 1960s they had a Piper Tri-Pacer aircraft and flew the Flying Doctor service – Nell also helped with weather reports and logistics. In the 70s they lived in Swaziland and Sudan, then Nigeria, where Nell set up a weather station to monitor wind for the Savannah Sugar Factory. During a stint in Papua New Guinea, she renovated a dug-out canoe and sailed in shark-infested waters.
In 1980 Nell and Barrie moved to Foggathorpe, East Yorkshire, where she discovered the 11th-century Norman church of All Saints, Aughton, where later she became churchwarden for more than 30 years.
In the 80s Nell gained a certificate in social studies at Hull University, then a degree in social policy and administration, and master’s degrees in care for the elderly, and managing change. She then worked (1989-91) as unit manager for Bridlington Mental Health Resource Base, and resource manager (1991-92) for Grimsby Mental Health Resource Base. She won the East Riding of Yorkshire council chairman’s community award, and in 2020 was awarded Maundy Money from Queen Elizabeth II.
Born in Ipstones, Staffordshire, Nell was the daughter of George and Ella Clowes, silk-mill workers who later ran a greengrocers in Leek. Times were hard for Nell and her sister, Lilian. Nell had a strong Christian faith, loved writing letters and had a fantastic memory for people’s interests and families. Her family called her “annoyingly positive”.
Gaining a scholarship to Leek high school for girls, she then attended Stoke Technical College studying public health, becoming the first female public health inspector for Stoke council. In 1952 she married Barrie Whittingham, a civil engineer, and they settled first in Wiltshire then in Essex, in the town of Corringham, where Nell built a sailing dinghy in the kitchen, and was hands-on with house building tasks, before they set off for Zambia.
Nell loved reading, long-distance walking, gardening, singing and went on a pilgrimage to Iona.
She was tireless in her fundraising for Aughton – a stained-glass window consecrated by the archbishop of York John Sentamu, electricity installation, and mains water for a much-needed toilet and kitchen. She also undertook huge amounts of research into the Catholic rebel Robert Aske from Aughton, the Pilgrimage of Grace, the uprising against Henry VIII and the Suppression of Religious Houses in 1535. Aske was subsequently executed by Henry VIII. Nell’s supreme efforts kept Aughton church alive, and her annual Pilgrimage of Grace evenings and afternoon teas are still going.
Barrie died in 1993, and Lilian in 2017. Nell is survived by three sons, David, Mark and Nichols, five grandchildren and great-grandson.
