Back in June members of Christ Church held a lovely Sunday afternoon service followed by a tea in the church hall to pay tribute to a very special member who passed away in 2016, Mrs Mary Clowes. Mary had left a bequest to the church and with this money it had been decided to buy a Yamaha upright piano in her memory, a fitting tribute since she was a self-taught pianist who was Christ Church’s organist for many years.

There were many friends invited along, some who had known Mary for many years, some only a few, but one special guest was her godson, the Reverend William Pryce, whose mother was Mary’s best friend her whole life. During World War 2 Mary had been Dame Agnes Hunt’s driver, and Rev Pryce spoke with affection about his god-mother as he commemorated her contribution to his own life.

“There was no gathering of my family at which Mary was not present – she was like a family member and she and my mother were the best of friends” he said.

Mrs Gwen Hudson played the new piano at its inauguration, being one of Christ Church’s current organists, with hymns being sung by the gathering. Afterwards fifteen-year-old Jenifer Patterson also played the piano, this time for entertainment, and the choir Os Rocks are very happy to have the use of it at their meetings on Tuesday evenings.

Christ Church is also one of the venues for Oswestry Town Council’s annual Youth Music Festival, so it will be well used in the future.

Pictured: Gwen Hudson (seated) with Rev Pryce surrounded by Mary’s friends. On the piano is a photo of Mary.