Website last updated on: 25th March 2011

Louisa Ida Emily PENFOLD (1909-2001)Tree001:T16

	Louisa Ida Emily PENFOLD		Louisa Ida Emily PENFOLD		Louisa Ida Emily Penfold		Louisa Ida Emily PENFOLD, Ida Penfold

Name:	Louisa Ida Emily PENFOLD
ONS Reference:	Tree001:T16
Sex:	Female
Record Id:	261
Father:	Albert PENFOLD (1877-1959)
Mother:	Emily AVIS ( -1964)

Individual Events and Attributes

Birth	15 Apr 1909 1,2
Death	29 Dec 2001 (age 92)

Marriage

Spouse	Arthur Lesley BALLARD (1909-1982)
Marriage	7 Sep 1935 (age 26)

Individual Note 1 (shared)

An eulogy by Simon Rapley, nephew of Ida, given on 10th January 2002 at Surrey and Sussex Cremortorium, Crawley.

 

Thank you all for coming today, I'd like to say a few words about Auntie Ida and her life.

 

Albert and Emily Penfold moved from Hartfield to Haywards Heath when they married and bought No.6 Gower Road where their only daughter, Louisa Ida Emily, was born on 15th April 1909.

 

Known to all by her middle name, Ida attended St Wilfred's School until the age of 14 when she began her apprenticeship at Chipperfields & Butler in Brighton as a court dressmaker. Having completed her training, Ida went towork in Haywards Heath for Molly Stovell, the most prestigious maker of gowns, dresses and wedding outfits for local aristocracy and ladies of the court. She also made my mum's wedding dress! Ida worked there until she semi-retired, although she continued dressmaking until she could no longer see the needle. As a boy, I was always facinated by Auntie's old treadle-powered Singer sewing machine and would sit working the treadle with her whilst she pushed the fabric through. I still can'tquite understand how it all works.

 

Ida met her husband, Leslie Ballard, at a dance in Haywards Heath in 1925 and, after a considerable period of engagement, they married 10 years later in St.Wilfred's Church. Leslie's young sisters Rita, Gladys, Betty and Doris and Ida's cousin Joyce were all bridesmaids at this happy event.

 

Les and Ida were married for nearly 50 years and, despite having no children of their own, provided a very happy home from home for two young London evacuees, Roger and John, during the 2nd World War. Although they lost touch with John, Roger kept in regular contact and I am very pleased to see him here today.

 

Ida was a great supporter of Haywards Heath Town Band and one of its leading fund raisers. Leslie was a trombonist in the band, and between them, they recruited me into the fold at the tender age of seven as a cornet player. The band played throughout the year at venues in the South East, and Auntie would always be there fulfilling her supporting role, supplying refreshments, organizing sales of jam or the annual jumble.

 

After Les died in 1983, Ida continued living in their family home at No.11 Gower Road - as you can see, she hadn't moved far from her roots - and led avery full and independent life. As her sight deteriorated she joined the Mary Parsons Thursday Club for the blind, held at the Yews by Mabs Richardson. This really was the hightlight of Auntie's week and she hated to miss a session. She also attended the Church of the Ascension whenever possible and I know the reverend, Tim Stead, would like to say afew words about her faith when I finish.

 

Illness finally forced Ida to accept her advancing years and having spent several weeks in hospital, she moved into Pelham House Nursing Home in Cuckfield shortly before Christmas. Giving up her independence was a very difficult decision for Auntie Ida, but I know she was very happy those last few weeks at Pelham House and only had the highest praise forthe staff there. Finally, on 29th December 2001, Ida passed away aged 92.

 

Auntie Ida has been a steady, constant person in my life - always there,always the same, always pleased to see me. As a child, we baked cakesand played the piano; spent Christmas playing games and listening to Perry Como and Val Doonican - all the things an auntie is meant to do.She loved to laugh and our family picnics were true 'Billy Bunter'affairs complete with Auntie's sherry trifle and seemingly dozens of relations. Ida was an aunt of the traditional kind and I'm so pleased my children had a chance to know her, if only briefly.

 

A true character in her family and the local community, I know we will all miss her greatly.

 

Thank you.

Individual Note 2

Name: Louisa Ida E Ballard

Birth Date: 15 Apr 1909

Death Registration Month/Year: Jan 2002

Age at death (estimated): 92

Registration District: Haywards Heath

Inferred County: West Sussex

Register Number: B38

Entry number: 129

Sources

1	"England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983".

2	"Ida Penfold's Paperwork-02".

	Source: Ida Penfold's Paperwork-02, In Ida Penfolds Paperwork-02