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February 2021 February 2021

OBITUARIES Ernest’s death in 1952, the southern part
of the estate was sold off in an auction
held in the Corn Exchange, Dorchester
Brenda Pitfield (1935-2020) on October 21, 1953. Many of the farms
and houses had tenants who bought
We lost Brenda on 9th December after she had been in hospital for about a them at this time. One of these was West
week. Her health and fitness had taken a jolt in January 2017 after a fall when Farm, Affpuddle, consisting of 409 acres,
she broke her arm after slipping on ice in Dorchester. After recovering from this purchased by tenants Edgar and Stella
she returned to something like normal and got back to driving, and also Kellaway. Stella was born in
parking, again, but as the years passed she needed more help from her sons Briantspuddle, at the Hollow, and is now
Mark and John, who made sure that she could continue attending her one of the village’s most senior residents.
beloved Bere Church and also get to the surgery and to appointments with She has worked on the farm all her life,
the dentist, chiropodist and choir at Briantspuddle Singers. The result of this and still does the books, assisted by her
effort was that Brenda was able to live in her own house almost right to the son-in-law Roger Prideaux who now farms the land with his wife Shirley. Another of
end. Stella’s daily commitments until very recently was the locking and unlocking of
Affpuddle church. She carried out this task for around 27 years since vicar Bert
Brenda married Fred in 1955 after they had met many times at dances, music Johnson retired.
concerts and, of course, the Briantspuddle Singers where in the 1950s they had
singing, dancing and musical instrument training. Brenda lived at Troytown The fine cob and thatched barn in Briantspuddle, rebuilt in 1803, was turned into
then with her parents and brother, and Fred was brought up at Bere Regis. the present village hall as a gift from Ernest Debenham. Nine clubs and activities
They were married at Puddletown church, then moved to rented rooms at No were listed as regular users in 1953. Included was the intriguingly-named Slate
78 West Street while their bungalow was built in Butt Lane and they moved in Club. All members of this paid 6d (2.5p) each week. If any member was ill, he
in 1956 before electricity was connected and spent evenings illuminated by oil could draw £1 a week for several weeks. Nowadays the village hall has an
lamps for some time. Fred had designed the house and also many others
around the village and surroundings, then after leaving private practice,
began work at Dorset County Council Architects Department but he never
turned down the chance to help villagers with their planning permission needs.
Mark and John were born in the late 1950s and 1960s, but Brenda had been
working in the Council Accounts Department and was even using computers
at that time. After the boys started school and for some time after that she
had jobs at the South Street Tesco's at Dorchester, again doing the accounts,
then later she worked at the Health Food shop in Trinity Street and was also the
receptionist for the chiropractor in .Dorchester. This all culminated in her most
prized job of all, being the regional representative for the Church Army charity,
which meant having to learn to drive, which she kept a secret from Fred until
she could announce that she had passed her driving
test. Years of travelling all across the south of England
meant that she was usually up and ready to depart
before anyone else in the house, waking up whoever
was blocking her car on the drive at unearthly hours in
the morning. Brenda, now a fully committed Christian,
progressed from this in 1989 when she was licensed as enthusiastic committee running it and raising funds for its maintenance and
a Lay Preacher and so was able to play an increasing improvement. Entertainments offered include concerts, sophisticated Artsreach
role in the local parishes for some years.
performances and Purbeck Film Festival events. Many events include sumptuous
suppers prepared by Briantspuddle’s expert cooks.

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