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In Memoriam

Ruth Elizabeth Baker was born on 1^st July 1943 in Leicester. A baby sister for Ann who was three and half years old.

 In a couple of years the family moved to Burton Latimer near Kettering and  then in 1947 moved  to Northampton. Ruth started school at Cedar Road, moving to Barry Road  and after taking the 11 plus she went to Northampton School for Girls.

On leaving school she attended Southlands Teacher Training College in Wimbledon.

Ruth’s first teaching post was in Eastfield School in Nothampton. After her marriage to Sid Gibson in May 1966 they moved to Solihull where Ruth taught at Eversfield and then at Catherine-de-Barnes.

When Sid moved his work to Stratford-On-Avon, they lived in a new build in Back Lane Oxhill which they called the Pippins. However, they always wanted  an older property and when what is now known as Apple Tree Cottage came up for sale they managed to purchase it, and in due time made a great deal of improvements. This was when Ruth started to teach at Tysoe under the headship of Reginald Gethin. After a number of years at Tysoe , Ruth decided to retire. However this could not be as her marriage broke down and she had to find work again. It was at this time that she worked for a few months at Tysoe Medical Centre. Unfortunately, although  she had been left the house, she still had to maintain it and pay all bills and this was when she went to teach at The Croft in Stratford.

Ruth was very fond of all types of music (the family thought shoe took after her late Uncle who was the Director of Music for all the schools in Rockaway, New Jersey, USA). When she first moved to Northampton she was in the Junior Choir in Church and then in the Bach Choir. On moving to Solihull she was in the Gilbert and Sullivan Society and then one of the longest serving members. She played and taught the piano, played the Clarinet, the Steel Pans and recently started to learn the ukulele. She also played the organ at three local churches when the resident organist was away.

She was very fond of concerts at Symphony Hall, The Opera from the Met. At the cinema in Stratford and attending concerts at Longborough and Adderbury to name a few. Ruth was a member of the local Gardening Club, on the rota for Church flowers and a member of U3A and NADFAS.

Ruth and her sister Ann were very close and for the last 14 years they have enjoyed holidays to far flung places round the world.

This site is maintained by villagers of Oxhill for the benefit of the community and those interested in the history, news and activities that make the village such a pleasant place to live.

Last modified: August 05, 2014