Tribute to Janice Morgan

Jan
Well good afternoon everyone, thank you so much for joining us this afternoon to celebrate the life, the very special life of my big sister Jan …. otherwise widely known by my children and grandchildren as AJ !! We made the decision to base our celebration here in Highgate because Jan loved this village and its residents very much, and was happily settled and at home here for over 40 happy years…… Jan just loved living in Southwood Avenue, delighted in having a front and back garden, where she could entertain friends, simply sit in the sun or fiddle with the pots and borders, planting shrubs, plants and bulbs that would bring that extra ray of sunshine into her life the following Spring. Jan felt safe in her top 2 floors, would joke climbing the stairs kept her fit and healthy, despite having to lug everything including all her shopping up the stairs …… she loved the view right across all the sights of London from her bedroom window …… the garden view of the verdant lawns and the ever changing foliage of the trees from the Dining room….. and even loved looking across the varied tiles of the roof tops from her tiny kitchen……!! She welcomed having her good friend Peter and in later years Peter and Celia around to share the property and maintenance and far more importantly share a longstanding and fruitful friendship……the wicker armchair on the balcony outside the front door was a striking symbol of that friendship and a popular spot to sit and read the newspaper and was also where Jan & Peter could chat and enjoy their garden in the fresh air ! And then there was the convenience of the house……a downhill stroll to the Highgate Tube station on the Northern Line…… not so good walking uphill on the way home….. but from the tube central London was at Jan’s mercy ….. and she loved the excitement of the big city of London to the end….. There of course …… Jan could access many of her great loves, the Ballet and the Opera at Covent Garden, the Proms, the shops, theatres and galleries …… she could spoil herself eating in some good restaurants …… we would often meet at Angela Hartnett’s restaurant in St James’ or before it closed Odettes where Bryn Williams a starred Welsh chef would feed her well and regale her with his foodie stories from North Wales And of course Jan revelled in the easy access to trains, airports and even the ports ….. Jan was a great traveller! The far away Continents of the world were not a problem for Jan, the Americas and Australasia reasonably regular jaunts, Europe was her playground …….and she loved a City visit? When I took Sam, Simon and Amy to a very snowy Meribel on the children’s first ski trip AJ was with us of course and in later years she delighted in training down to Provence to join Cath and I at our holiday home in Villecroze ……. Some time ago various golfing duties of mine took me to a multitude of varied destinations, especially around Europe …..and I think just about every time I said I was going somewhere ……. Jan had already been there!!!! Aside from her many international sorties, Jan would trail up and down the M4 or any other motorway at the ‘drop of a hat’ - the boot of the car would be full of a variety of clothes, coats, rucksacks, boots, the occasional folding chair and of course a bottle of wine, flowers and or Welsh cakes for us or for the friends with whom she was planning to stay She loved the London parks, the left bank over the Thames, the New Years Day parade through London which she rarely missed, the big National events involving the Royal family and then the simple pleasures that London can give such as the Carol service at St Pauls or Westminster Cathedral Her dining room at No 40 hosted many boisterous Thanksgiving celebrations over the years, both Canadian and American, nothing was too much trouble and those evenings were always sought after invitations……..the bedrooms were always available for friends, sons and daughters of friends and even friends of friends who were visiting London, often from afar and who needed a room! Sometimes these stays would last for a while, to complete a work placement or whilst a niece or god child was enjoying a holiday job, my daughter Sam certainly enjoyed her stay some years ago when working for a few weeks at the Wimbledon tennis championships and many, many times since for trips to the ballet or theatre. Simon too found the AJ hotel very handy - working in the City and commuting 4 hours a day by train could be changed for a few beers with the boys, supper with AJ which ….. I can assure you AJ relished and loved, and a good nights sleep before work the next day. And then of course if the family wanted to see a show, go to the pantomime or just see the Christmas lights and by family I mean all generations and family friends too ….. all were welcomed……Amy and her 3 children all loved the excitement of a London stay with Aunty Jan and because Jan is Jan she also became well known to many of the children’s friends who were also regularly welcomed, some of whom have very kindly joined us today. AJ was known and loved by all generations and I have to say……something of a legend! Having briefly explored Jan’s kindness and hospitality it will not surprise you to know that probably the thing I admire most about my sister is her constance, her loyalty and her amazing ability to always communicate with and write to her myriads of friends across all corners of the planet! So as you are learning, Jan had a loving family and a very wide and extensive family of loving friends ! We are streaming this celebration today in an attempt to include as many as we can!! Friends are here to day who have known Jan since sharing a pram,…. from going to school together, ….. from taking ballet classes together,….. from meeting up on the first day of a new university term,…. from sharing work places,…. Cadbury friends……..travel companions, …….French pen friends, …….fellow club/society members,….. sailing Thames barge friends, …..visiting isolated Lighthouses for a weekend friends,…… going to golf tournament friends, ……taking the QE11 to New York friends, ….. skiing in Canada friends, …… staying in Australia friends, …….going to Olympic games friends in Montreal, Sydney and London …….I could go on…. - if you are lucky enough to be in one of those categories you will have received a thousand post cards from all corners of the earth ……. mostly illegible …… as Jan’s scribble took some deciphering …… but all were sent with love and the aim of keeping communication open with all those people who were so important to her It was an enormous sadness and a huge injustice, that the person who I would rank as one of the greatest communicators would be struck down with a stroke that left her unable to do just that….. Having talked of Jan’s love of Highgate, regular trips back home to Wales and its dramatic coastline with blue skies, crashing waves and sweeping sandy beaches were vital to keep her spirits high. We were both born in the Capitol city but grew up in Newport, could jump over the wall in the back garden to access our early schools before we graduated to Bassaleg Grammar School where Jan flourished and when I arrived a few years later, all I ever heard was “this is Jan’s little brother” The Grammar school had just a 2 form entry and in total only around 350 pupils, how things have changed with these large comprehensives As well as working hard and developing her intellectual rigour the school developed her early love of literature and theatre which remained a joy throughout Jan’s life wherever in the world she was living. After A levels were survived, University took Jan back to live in Cardiff where she met steadfast and loyal friends Philippa and Dave who are here today with their family and also a delightful bearded, rugby playing boyfriend called Adrian who Jan would go on to marry. It was a shame he was English, but I forgave him for that and happily it was around the time that Wales were still playing good rugby, so not all was lost ….. as if I remember we used to beat England in those days!! Early work placements took them both to Bournville to work for Cadburys where a new group of special friends was formed, again some of whom are present today, ……before Jan & Adrian made the decision to move to and work in Montreal, Canada, just in time for the 1976 Olympics. Sadly, the marriage was to end in divorce in Canada, a devastating and very lonely time of Jan’s life and after some time she returned to set up home in Highgate. I mentioned Jan’s need to regularly see the sea and devour the dramatic Welsh coastline, these visits were important to Jan and often gave her spiritual renewal when enjoying the blustery days around Porthcawl in particular, a small seaside town on the South Wales coast just around 30 minutes further on from Cardiff. Our Grandparents, our parents and later Jan & I kept a house in Porthcawl, me to use as a bed after late night and boisterous golf Dinners at Royal Porthcawl and Jan to just escape and enjoy the sea air and simple life, making friends of course with all the neighbours and local shopkeepers. The vast sandy bays of Rest Bay, just below the Royal Porthcawl links were a huge part of our upbringing, surfing in the sea, exploring the rock pools, collecting seaside pinks for our Mum and Aunty Phil and then of course doing what everyone does on the beach when its a bit cloudy and even a bit chilly ……playing beach cricket - well we all played cricket while Jan could mostly be found practising her ballet moves or doing handstands in the sand when she should have been fielding at Silly mid off or even Long On……suffice to say that whenever the ball was struck in her direction she was always otherwise engaged and runs would be scored! Our Grandparents bungalow sat proudly on the sea front across the road from the rocks, it was a blustery but magical setting - you could sit in the window of the lounge and watch the sea ebbing and flowing, it could be a source of youthful excitement with the ever changing weather patterns but also as the years passed a place of reflection and contemplation and even a good spot to revise for any exams that may be coming up.! From there Jan and I would join up with cousin Carole and get up to all kinds of mischief - either escaping to the beaches, walking to town or to the fairground at Coney Beach where all the delights of an old fashioned fairground, sadly now gone, could be enjoyed and our pocket money rapidly disappear! Candy floss and chips in paper would probably be enjoyed before heading back at dusk to the vast, soft feather beds in our Grandparents bungalow. Porthcawl sort of mirrored Highgate village to a degree as Supermarkets were not for Jan, she loved to give her loyalty to a local butcher, grocer, baker etc and both Highgate and Porthcawl satisfied that demand! I should say that loyalty to a local trader applied wherever Jan was, in the UK or abroad …….not for her a last drink on the final day of a holiday savouring the holiday views……you would find Jan in the local market buying local delicacies and even just basics to take home, often across the channel in a shopping bag bursting at the seams with fresh French vegetables, pates, cheeses, tins of sardines, salads etc Food and its variety and source was important to AJ As important as the coastline was, equally important were the cultures of Wales , every year Jan would try to be in Wales for The National Eisteddfod, she would book her accommodation well in advance and always try and attend the Chairing or the Crowning ceremony… The Llangollen International festival was another favourite and yes ……. there is another part of Welsh culture and life that she enjoyed and would make an extra special effort to migrate home to see……its a major part of the winter calendar, …..sadly diminished a little in recent years - but we will be back…..the Six Nations and Welsh Rugby of course As fellow Debenture holders it was a great way of enjoying weekends together and AJ rarely missed a match in Cardiff, she would come and stay with Cath & I where she would inhabit her….. that is AJ’s personal bedroom with her permanent bits and pieces always in place ….and then depending on the time of kick off we would enjoy a brunch at the house ….. the warm winter coat would go on, her ever present small, light pink ruck sack would be put firmly in place on her back, the red scarf would be proudly tied around her neck and family and friends would all meet outside the very same pub, every match, as we have done now for decades. Cousins and friends would always know where to find us and while we would often have a few beers….. AJ would quietly disappear for a warm coffee and then depart to take up her debenture seat where she would meet more friends - her fellow debenture holders - the same crowd every game who sat around her seat. The banter would begin, she would settle in to enjoy the match and then would occasionally be offered a small warming libation from a neighbours hip flask, before discussing at length the merits of the referee that day! Our father who with great foresight had bought those debentures for £50 nearly 60 years ago was also very civic minded and very generous in his support of local charities and societies and I see a lot of him and his good work mirrored in Jan. A big part of her Highgate life has been her involvement with the Highgate Society and it is great to see so many of her colleagues from that august society here today I would often ring Jan to find her out delivering the Buzz magazine, or too busy to speak because it was either the time to prepare for either carols in the square or the fair in the square, or it actually was carols in the square or the fair in the square or she was clearing up after one of them! Similarly for coffee mornings in the Hall or simply booking events for the Hall, it all got swept up and sorted out in Jan’s Highgate Society world! However as well as all the volunteer work …… what Jan probably felt most strongly about was trying to maintain the village vibe and atmosphere around Highgate - doing her best to influence planning and decisions to keep the independent traders strong and vibrant and whilst never wanting to stop progress, certainly wanting it to be progress that would add to the charm of the village she enjoyed so much. So it was that whenever I came to stay at No 40 and Jan said ……. why don’t we go for a walk up to the village ……I would ring Cath and say I am probably going to be out for a couple of hours…… as I knew we would have to stop, meet and chat to so many people to and from the village that there was hardly time for a beer in the Prince of Wales before we had to head back!! But I would not change a thing, AJ was a force of nature, the matriarch that kept our family ticking over and the loyal and ever-present friend to so many in this church today and around the world in which we all live. She brought joy and peace to our lives and I am going to miss her