Avril Ivin 16 March1939 – 19 January 2023
September 21, 2024 6:30 pm | by Terry Brown | Posted in Tributes
Avril was born Avril Ching. Her father (Samuel) James Ching was a renowned concert pianist, teacher and author of books on piano technique, and director of the School of Music in Brighton, where Avril was born. Her mother, Marjorie Gabriel was also a concert pianist, so music was very much in Avril’s genes.
Avril’s parents separated, and her mother later remarried to Dr Rupert Thackray, also a prominent musician, educationalist, and author, who was the founder and first Head of the Music Department at Bedford College of Physical Education, with research interests and publications including (perhaps interestingly from a ringer’s perspective) rhythmic patterns and aptitude.
Avril attended Dame Alice Harpur School where amongst her contemporaries were Jennie Davis (Taylor), Helen Nevin (Williams), and Anne Amor (Stainsby) all ringers at St Paul’s. During her school years, she consolidated her musical roots becoming accomplished at the piano and cello, progressing through music exams and playing in school and county orchestras.
Avril learnt to ring as a teenager at Wootton, and is first listed as a member of the Association in the 1956 Annual Report. Her first peal, Plain Bob Minor, at Biddenham, on 12th of January of that year, was conducted by Bryan Pattison. She met Steve at a ringing meeting at St Peter’s Bedford and by 1957 they had transferred their allegiances to St Paul’s, then under Sid Foskett’s leadership.
Despite having considerable musical talent, Avril chose to study domestic science in Leicester. It was at a time when Leicester Cathedral boasted one of the pioneering and leading bands of the day, by then led by Herrick Bowley. Avril participated in a number of peals there between 1957 and 1960, including a variety of different Surprise Maximus methods; a number of them firsts.
Avril and Steve continued their courtship between Leicester and Oxford where Steve was studying Classics (and London S Major)! They were engaged in June 1958 and married on August 13th 1960 at Houghton Conquest.
On completing teacher training, Avril took up a post in domestic science at the Silver Jubilee Girls’ School, Bedford, no doubt a challenging first appointment in a somewhat difficult area of the town. Later she taught at Stratton School Biggleswade before moving to the newly opened Pilgrim Grammar School (the first state and only co-educational grammar school in the town), becoming amongst its first members of staff.
At about the time I joined Pilgrim School at the age of 11, Avril left to pursue her music interests, becoming a peripatetic cello teacher in The Bedfordshire County music service. She was well-known and greatly respected in teaching circles, playing with the county philharmonic and youth orchestras and various other music groups. She also taught privately.
Avril was a great support to Steve in establishing the band at St Paul’s Bedford, initially as its secretary. Under Steve’s leadership they developed, what was without doubt, one of the best Sunday service bands in the country at that time. Although not a prolific or particularly keen peal ringer, Avril was extremely capable and reliable; she seldom made method errors and her striking was very accurate – incredibly so for one who did relatively little ringing. She rang in a number of first peals of S Royal for the Association.
I first came to know Avril when, at about the age of 12 and as a very inexperienced ringer, I joined the band at St Pauls. In those days Avril seemed quite scary, although she was always very supportive and encouraging to me and a number of other youngsters who were fortunate enough to ring there. She was an extremely good teacher, identifying potential and emphasising and demonstrating the advantages of sustained effort and regular practice that would enable those who were, perhaps not so naturally gifted or talented, to achieve success beyond their own perceived capability and horizons. This said, she didn’t suffer fools gladly, and had little patience with any who were less than genuine, or did not take matters seriously and work to improve to the best of their ability. Any who didn’t, were seldom left in much doubt about it!
Avril and Steve moved to Oxfordshire in 1979 when Avril took up a post in the Oxfordshire peripatetic music service, eventually becoming its head of strings. She gave tremendous encouragement to Steve throughout the various bell restoration projects that he undertook in Oxford; at Lincoln College, St Mary Magd., St Thomas’s the Martyr, and elsewhere, but she limited herself to occasional service ringing and standing in to complete peal bands when Steve was short, often at the last moment. Despite her lack of practice, Avril always rang to a very high standard that few in the band were able to emulate.
Beyond her music teaching and playing, Avril’s principal interest at this time was her horses. She owned and rode several over the years. She also greatly enjoyed gardening; growing fruit and vegetables to provide ingredients for some wonderful home-cooking, and she had an extensive knowledge of plants and shrubs, including all their Latin names.
Despite her tough and seemingly stern no-nonsense exterior, Avril was incredibly resilient, kind-hearted, and generous with her time and money. She valued her close friendships immensely and was very generous in supporting a wide range of charities. She was devastated when Steve died in 2010, but wisely took his final advice to have a dog. From about that time onwards, Avril and her golden lab Brandy became inseparable companions, and I think it was largely because of Brandy that she pulled through and kept going.
She developed a wide circle of friends associated with her music, horse riding, and dog training and walking activities, and an extensive support network of very kind neighbours and tradespeople within the village She also served on the Steventon parish council. She rang occasionally, mostly at East Ilsley.
Early in 2022 Avril was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and the final 18 months of her life were difficult with several periods of hospitalisation. It was very sad to witness the gradual decline of such a once-vibrant, confident, self-assured, and hugely talented friend of some 50 years.
Avril rang 219 peals, including two in hand, her last being Stedman Caters at St Thomas Oxford on 22/12/97. Of these 129 were for the Association with 24 each for the Leicester and Peterborough DGs, including, London S Major (29), Cambridge S Royal (14), and 11 each of London and Bristol S Royal. 196 of her peals were with Steve, followed by Ron Sharp (62) and Bob Piron (56). She was elected to the SRCY prior to a peal at St Paul’s Bedford on 15 May 1961.
Avril’s funeral was held at Steventon Church on 15th February, a cold and sunny day, when over 100 shared in a wonderful and fitting celebration of her life. The service included a Bach viola solo performed by her great niece, Rosa, and pieces by Mozart and Purcell performed by her teaching colleagues, and friends from Oxford Sinfonia. Friends rang the bells before and after the service and the tributes reflected on her life of service to music and ringing.
Rest in peace dear friend.
Stephen Stanford
This is a shortened version of Avril’s obituary that was published in Ringing World 5855, 14/7/23, p710