Family of George Wilfred RUSHWORTH and Gwendoline JONES

Husband:	George Wilfred RUSHWORTH (1905-1981)
Wife:	Gwendoline JONES (1917-2004)
Children:	Catherine Margaret RUSHWORTH
Marriage	30 Aug 1947	Guiseley Registry Office

Husband: George Wilfred RUSHWORTH

	George Wilfred RUSHWORTH, wilf1

Name:	George Wilfred RUSHWORTH
Sex:	Male
Father:	John Thomas RUSHWORTH (1867-1927)
Mother:	Maria BRELLISFORD (1864-1953)
Birth	15 May 1905	Horsforth, Leeds
Residence (1)	btw 1905 and 1945 (age 0-40)	Horsforth
Occupation (1)	btw 1919 and 1945 (age 13-40)	Farmer; North Ives Farm, Horsforth, Leeds
Residence (2)	btw 1945 and 1950 (age 39-45)	Horsforth
Occupation (2)	btw 1946 and 1954 (age 40-49)	Executive Officer, Agricultural Executuve; Halifax
Residence (3)	btw 1950 and 1954 (age 44-49)	Horsforth
Occupation (3)	btw 1954 and 1978 (age 48-73)	Farmer; Intake farm, Rawdon
Residence (4)	btw 1954 and 1978 (age 48-73)	Rawdon
Residence (5)	btw 1978 and 1981 (age 72-76)	Rawdon
Death	23 Nov 1981 (age 76)	Ilkley
Cremation	27 Nov 1981 (age 76)	Rawdon Crematorium

Wife: Gwendoline JONES

	Gwendoline JONES, Jones, Gwen

Name:	Gwendoline JONES
Sex:	Female
Father:	George JONES (1881- )
Mother:	Renny FARRAR ( - )
Birth	13 Dec 1917	Carlton, Barnsley, West Yorkshire
Occupation (1)	btw 1939 and 1945 (age 21-28)	Farm Dairy Maid at North Ives Farm; Horsforth, Leeds
Occupation (2)	btw 1945 and 1947 (age 27-30)	Housekeeper to Mr & Mrs Harold Mason (Horsforth Laudry); Northfield Road, Horsforth, and "Woodhall", Calverley, Leeds
Death	9 Nov 2004 (age 86)	24, Hill Crescent, Rawdon, Leeds
Cremation	16 Nov 2004 (age 86)	Rawdon Crematorium

Child 1: Catherine Margaret RUSHWORTH

Name:	Catherine Margaret RUSHWORTH
Sex:	Female
Spouse:	John Martyn AINSLEY

Note on Wife: Gwendoline JONES

"Address" by Martyn Ainsley at the funeral service of Gwen Rushworth on 16 November 2004 at Trinity Church, Rawdon.

 

Gwen was born on the 13th December 1917 at Carlton, Barnsley. One of eight children, she was the daughter of George Jones, a miner from North Wales, and Renny Farrar of Barnsley.

Gwen is survived by two of her sisters, Hilda and Margaret, who are here today, and brother Sam who is unable to attend.

 

Her early childhood was full of happiness spent amongst her large family, enjoying the simple pleasures of life to the full. She was an active member of the Methodist Church Chapel, singing in the choir and attending up to three times on Sunday and again on Monday for the Band Of Hope! The church was very much the social meeting place of the village, and it was here that she developed her love of hymns- particularly the words. Our hymns today were Gwen's personal favorites.

 

Gwen's schooldays were a happy time and it was at school where she developed her great love of poetry and literature.

 

She also loved the outdoors and was never happier than when she played in the fields and studied nature. Her love of the countryside was a path that she would follow, and at the age of 14 she left home to work on a farm at Great Horton, near Bradford. Here she learnt to milk by hand, look after cows, horses, and hens, and manage a milk round.

 

At the age of 21 she accepted a job at North Ives Farm in Horsforth, to be closer to her sister Mary, who was then living at Arthington.

 

At the time, John and Wilfred Rushworth farmed North Ives. It was a very busy and up to date farm with milking machines, a tractor and even a full size billiard table!

 

Despite being only a slip of a girl, Gwen soon managed the milking and bottling, and delivered the milk twice a day by horse and cart around Horsforth. Her horse, Tony, was a large and stubborn horse with a great spirit. Despite her size, Gwen soon mastered Tony and he would meekly follow when she beckoned him as she dashed from door to door.

 

With Gwen's warm, cheerful and smiling nature she soon got to know many people in Horsforth, some of whom would become lifelong friends.

 

Despite many suitors, Gwen fell for the handsome farmer Wilf, and they were married in 1947. Gwen became a stepmother to Wilf's son Edward, and two years later Margaret was born.

 

With Edward and young child Margaret, Gwen and Wilf went to live in Stanhope Avenue. They became especially friendly with their neighbours, particularly Joan and Geoff whose children Pat and Stevie became Margaret's lifelong friends.

 

Gwen was to return to farming when the family moved to Intake Farm, and once again it was the centre of social life for those living close by in Rawdon. I am sure that many of you will have very happy memories of visiting the farm. The smell of fresh baking was never far away, with endless mugs of tea and Gwen's legendary ground rice tarts and ginger biscuits.

 

Although running the farm was very demanding, Wilf and Gwen still found time for some lovely holidays to spend with family and friends in Bets - y - Coed, North Wales.

 

Following 24 very happy years at Intake farm, Wilf and Gwen retired to Hill Crescent.

Now Gwen was never one to be still - even after her retirement and Wilf's death, she continued to spend hours looking after her beloved grandchildren: playing with them, taking them on day trips, and teaching them all how to bake.

 

Also important to Gwen were her friends: spending time with them visiting the shops in Leeds or further a field. She had a vast knowledge of bus routes and timetables, and could always tell you how to get from A to B! Thursday nights at the cricket club were also a regular fixture on her social calendar.

 

Gwen was an active member of Internationally Yours, a group whose main aim was to promote friendship and understanding, skills in which Gwen so naturally excelled.

In her later years she was always happy in her own company and continued to enjoy reading and writing poetry, sometimes to celebrate a family occasion, though mostly just for the love of it.

 

Throughout her life Gwen's kind disposition radiated love and warmth to all her friends and family. With a heart of gold, she would see the best in everyone and in every situation.

Gwen enjoyed a particularly close and loving relationship with her daughter Margaret. She was never happier than when they were together on shopping trips, holidays or even just helping out with those mounds of ironing!

 

Gwen was always the optimist, forever looking on the bright side of life; an inspiration to us all. The one thing that she would often say was

"I have had such a happy life; I wouldn't change anything"

Even towards the end, she was still saying how lucky she was for all the care given to her.

 

I would like to finish with a poem composed by Gwen:

May Sunbeams dance on your windows

And happiness come through your doors

And stardust sprinkle some laughter

Each day of the year that is yours.

 

God Bless You Gwen, we will miss you.