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November 2019 November 2019
‘Forget Me Not – the Alzheimer’s

OBITUARIES Whodunnit’ with Rob Gee, courtesy of
Artsreach
At Milborne St Andrew Village Hall, the Causeway,
Frances Elizabeth Solly 1939- Milborne St Andrew DT11 0JX
2019
th
Friday Nov 29 , doors and bar open 7.00,
performance starts at 7.30

Frances Solly was buried at The Church of St.
Laurence, Affpuddle, on Thursday 12 Rob is a comic, poet and psychiatric nurse who has
th
recently completed a sell-out tour of North America
September 2019
with this production. He plays Jim, whose wife, a patient on a dementia ward,

has died from what appears to be natural causes. Jim is a retired police
Frances or Fra as she was called, was born on the detective and smells a rat. He’s determined to solve one last murder. The
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19 of January 1939 in Roorkee, India in sight of the problem is he also has dementia. It’s a case worthy of the greatest detective
white peaks of the Himalayas. Her father, Colonel mind, but his will have to do.
Terence Burrowes, was a bright Army engineer
building roads through the dangerous North- “Smart, witty, and razor-sharp ... Part social commentary, part black comedy,
Western Frontier of India. His wife, Denice, was a and part Cluedo… as funny - and heartbreaking - as hell.” Canadian
gentle soul and talented artist with a sharp mind. This combination of hard Broadcasting Corporation ★★★★★
work, gentleness, art and wit helped shape Fra into the person we love and
remember. “By turns sad and funny, and just plain fun. This one-man triumph is equal parts
mystery, comedy, storytelling, social commentary — and 100 per cent
Fra was soon joined in 1940 by her sister Claire and for the next few years they entertaining.” Winnipeg Free Press ★★★★★
experienced the last vestiges of Empire, with Indian servants, polo ponies and
their own donkeys. But her father was itching to join the war in Europe and
eventually the family set off on an eight week journey around the Cape via a
troop ship, zig-zagging to evade German U Boats.
As part of an Army family, Fra was constantly moving as a child. She spent the
remainder of the war in Henley, Camberley and Kensington and, by the time
she had children, she had lived in at least 18 houses and attended numerous
schools and colleges. There was never enough time to put down deep roots in
a place but soaking up so many cultures and experiences made her the
perfect lady: kind, gentle, welcoming to everyone, and a natural at getting on
with anybody, from all walks of life.
Fra and Claire were constantly outdoors. They loved
to run wild in the large grounds at Sandhurst. They
swam, sailed and would disappear all day riding in
the bush with their cousins in Australia, and they
loved hunting and show jumping at Osnabruck in
Germany.
On their return from Australia, Fra and Claire
enjoyed a happy time of relative stability, boarding
at Downe House in Berkshire, and travelling alone by

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