Gwendoline Joan Bale (12 Jul 1917 - 26 Apr 2015)

Many happy memories with Gwen and Tony at 22 Pilgrims Way, Canterbury in the early days of the SDP. We were always made to feel so very welcome. Two very special people.

I have fond memories of Gwen's (and Tony's) hospitality during the SDP/LibDem years. Cambridgeshire is a bit far to travel for a funeral, but I'm keen to sayhow I appreciate having known Gwen.

In memory of Gwen Bale and for my brother, both victims of vascular dementia

Gwen was a quietly generous, wise and wonderful friend to all who knew her. We had a strenuous but rewarding year together as partners in the Canterbury Mayoral team in 1996-97. Gwen never flagged and everybody loved her. She was kind but she was never fooled. She was a contributor, she gave readily of herself and her spirit. She is a great loss to you, David, and to your family, but also to her many friends, who loved and admired her.

I was very sorry to hear your sad news David. I hope you have a good day in celebration of a long life on 21st May.
Warm wishes from your Friends on the online forum.
Trevor

Ah David so sorry for the loss of your Mom! Sending you love!

I am so sorry for your loss, David. You are in my prayers.

My memories of Gwen are so fresh and w nice time we had together when I visited her in the company David Bale. I recall her as a passionate person who wanted peace to prevail among in our communities. I learnt one lesson from her that we need to plant a seed not because we MUST be there to partake of its fruits BUT that those who may be there may NOT LACK. She gave a the Young mothers sewing group without any strings attached.
May Her Soul Rest In Eternal Peace. Zambia mourns you!

Gwen was born Gwen Hattersley in Plaistow, East London on the 12th July 1917, but grew up on Canvey Island, Essex. She had an elder sister, Phyllis. She attended secondary school in Benfleet which required an adventurous daily journey of leaping ditches and catching the ferryboat whenever the tide was over the causeway. There was no bridge then.

After the family moved back to Wanstead, Gwen’s Uncle Stanley arranged for her to attend Clarks College. After leaving school at 15, she worked as a clerk. During WW2, it is believed that she worked as a clerk or telephonist in the War Office. She met Tony Bale in the 1930’s through supporting the Independent Labour Party. She and Tony campaigned for George Lansbury as members of the Labour League of Youth. Gwen continued to support the Labour Party until the founding of the SDP. They enjoyed cycling and rambling together and they married in 1941. Tony was in the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers stationed in various bases around Great Britain. Gwen tenaciously visited him at nearly all of them, including lengthy spells at Loughborough and Rhyl in North Wales. During this time they became parents with the birth first of Peter, then David.

After Tony was demobbed, they set up home in Wanstead, moving up to Coventry in 1947 where Tony worked as a local government officer, later qualifying as a municipal accountant and working for the Gas Board, first in Coventry and afterwards in Cardiff. Gwen was a homemaker with a keen interest in people and current affairs. The family enjoyed weekends camping. They belonged to the Birmingham and District Camping Club then the Coventry branch. On Friday afternoons the pre-war Hillman Minx was packed and ready and they all headed into the countryside. Each summer they left England and went on three week camping tours. Although she never learnt to drive a car, Gwen was adventurous, and was not daunted by long holidays driving and camping round Europe, which was unusual then. There were very few campsites then, so the family would stay on farms or wherever they could find. Most intrepid!

Gwen never acted, but enjoyed amateur dramatics, making costumes and painting sets for the Municipal Players. She appreciated art and visited exhibitions when she could. She had a part-time job with the Church Burial Society when her sons were at school. This was in addition to caring for her mother, who came to live with the family in 1950, when she was 66 - and lived to be 99!

The family moved from Coventry to Cardiff in 1959, and then, after a year or two in the Barbican in London, Gwen and Tony moved to Canterbury in 1975. They were politically active in the SDP and their home in Pilgrims Way became the hub of many election campaigns. Bothe Gwen and Tony served the Lib Dems in many capacities, though not as political candidates. Gwen served as Lady Mayoress in 1996, and had an interesting and very enjoyable year in office. She presided over her own Lady Mayoress’s Charity, made several visits to Rheims (Canterbury’s twin city in France) where she was feted and dined, and attended a whole succession of interesting events at Canterbury Cathedral.

She and Tony had started collecting china and old books together. They began small scale market trading which developed into a joint book selling venture, run from their home. Very sadly, Tony died in May 1991 from a heart attack, which had happened while they were together watching their beloved Essex play cricket in Folkestone.

Although now a widow, Gwen continued to work at her book-selling business; it expanded under the name of Gwen Bale Antiquarian Books and, specialising in cookery and children’s books, it had customers all over the world. She was respected and well-liked by many fellow book traders.

She participated fully in family activities and local events throughout her life and continued to travel widely around the world, often accompanied by her cousin Wendy.

With the onset of vascular dementia, she slowly found it more difficult to look after herself and maintain her independence. However, she was reluctant to accept the arrangements her family tried to make to provide her with care services at home.

Following a fall and a fracture, she came to live at Hardwick Dene Residential Home in Buckden in November 2010. This was just a short distance away from her son David. The staff cared for her with kindness and warmth, and made her final years more comfortable

She lived a long and very full life, and touched the lives of many people.

She will be missed as a Mum, Grandmother and Great Grandmother.

May she rest in peace.