Enid Frances Bridge

“You are no more than a thought away.”

Enid passed away on the 28th July in the care of the South Cheshire Hospital, Leighton, aged 88 years.

An adorable lady who was much loved and respected by all who were fortunate enough to know her.  She and Dave were two halves to the perfect whole, completely devoted to each other, joined at the hip as if attached with a magnet and blessed with almost sixty-seven years of marriage.  They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in New Brighton and enjoyed watching a Glenn Miller Tribute Band and they were proud to receive a card from the Queen to commemorate their Diamond Wedding Anniversary.

She was an incredibly astute lady whose interesting and varied life was characterised by strength and courage.  Despite being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s fourteen years ago and bedridden at home for the last three, she never complained, nor did Dave.  He said their marriage vows were sacrosanct.  When they promised to look after each other ‘in sickness and in health, till death us do part’, they both meant every word.

Throughout her life, Enid always greeted people with a smile, even though at times, she would shed a few private tears because she had lost her independence and was so reliant on others, but she still enjoyed a chat with the carers and loved to see family.

She was devoted to her three girls:  Ann who was always introduced as the ‘eldest’, Helen, and Caroline who was always introduced as ‘the Little One’.

Enid was incredibly close to her sons in law, Andrew, Martyn and Carl, and was a  proud and doting nana / nanna to David, Joanne, Hannah, James and Jessica and her great grandson William.

Enid’s younger sister Mavis Anita sadly died ten years ago and despite Mavis living in Ghana until she returned to live on the Wirral, they both remained close.  She was a much-loved sister-in-law and auntie.

Enid and her childhood friend Mavis were little girls together and vowed never to lose contact.  Even though they took completely different paths in life and lived thousands of miles apart, ironically the two of them ended up in Cheshire.  Mavis has always been known as Auntie Mick to distinguish her from Enid’s sister, Uncle Colin their son Carl and daughter Dianne who has been incredibly supportive to Dave and the girls.

Enid was a remarkable woman who for most of her life had boundless energy.  She was incredibly fit, well and hardy until Alzheimer’s took her independence.  Sadly, she was admitted to hospital on Saturday 16th July and the family were called in to say their last goodbyes, but Enid somehow defied the prognosis for a further thirteen days and with basecamp established, her loved ones were at her bedside 24/7.  Although Enid peacefully breathed her last with David and Ann by her side, her loving family were close by, a perfect end for a dignified lady after a long cruel illness.

Remembering Enid

Born over the Mersey and always incredibly proud of her roots, Enid attended Liverpool Grammar School until at the age of fourteen when her family emigrated to Australia where she continued her education at North Sydney Girls High School.

They flew from London but were fortunate enough to stay at the Savoy before they left.  After three exciting years on the other side of the world, the family sailed back in luxury, visiting fabulous places like Honolulu.

Back in England, Enid completed a Felton Tarrant course to become a competent, extremely quick comptometer operator.  She had various roles throughout her working life, including admin work at a solicitor in St Helens and after her family moved to Crewe, she became the Office Manageress at New Ideal Homes where she clearly picked up more than a salary!

She met the love of her life Dave who was an apprentice in Nottingham but had been sent to the site for three weeks to help with snagging.  He smiled as he told me the weather wasn’t brilliant and he spent more time in Enid’s warm office playing dominoes than he did working.  The rest is history, they clearly joined the dots and he didn’t return to Nottingham as planned.

On Enid’s 21st birthday, they caught the ferry across the Mersey to New Brighton to get engaged and when Dave’s National Service loomed, he chose to serve in the Navy.

Enid went with him to his medical and reading through his stack of leaflets on the way home, she discovered that if they got married, they would receive £2 a week marriage allowance, which would give them the ideal opportunity to save for a deposit on a house.

They set the date for 6th August 1955, but Dave’s request for leave was denied so they postponed until 20th August.  After a minimoon at the Llandudno Junction Hotel, Dave reported back for duty whilst Enid started married life living above her mum’s shop in Albert Street and worked at Mornflakes until Dave returned home.

After Dave was offered his old job back, he and Enid moved to Nottingham and Enid found work in a solicitors office and dry cleaners.  Ann was welcomed into the world in 1958, followed by Helen in 1960 and after moving back to Crewe in 1962, Caroline arrived seven years later.

Their first family holidays were spent in Welshpool in a caravan then from around 1975, Enid and Dave enjoyed travelling through France to Estartit in Spain and after Dave retired, they normally went in May when the fishing was good and September when the crowds had disappeared.  They also liked Portugal.

When the girls were young, Enid worked part time as a school dinner lady and for Chester Barrie in the works canteen.  She made dresses for Ann and Helen using bits of material, and knitted their cardigans but Caroline being the youngest normally had shop bought and was the envy of her sisters.

Enid was always incredibly hardworking and clearly capable of juggling family life with work, Enid became company secretary in Dave’s building and plumbing business and worked in the plumbing and building supplies shop (EMA) aptly named after the three partners wives.

She escorted children on a social services minibus and volunteered for the NSPCC.  Enid and Dave were founder members of The Royal Naval Association in Crewe and often helped behind the bar.

They joined the Crewe Amalgamated Anglers Association, known as MALS and I was incredibly impressed when Dave told me Enid was the first and only lady president of the National Building Federation North West Division.

She was always extremely sociable and loved going to the NBF dinner dances.  She attended many Naval reunions with Dave and once met Prince Charles at St James Palace.  Enid was a member of a darts team with Ann and extremely good at studying the numbers throughout the game.  Despite Alzheimer’s, she remained brilliant with figures, even remembering telephone numbers and car registrations.

She was a brilliant knitter and invariably watched TV at the same time without slipping a stitch!  Enid loved having her hair done every week, she wore red or pink nails and always wore high heels.

She loved flowers, especially pink ones but never liked trees!

Enid was always a confident lady who was caring, kind, thoughtful and totally dedicated to family life.

A service of celebration for Enid’s life will take place on Friday 12th August at 1.45pm in the Crematorium Chapel, Crewe.

Donations in memory of Enid will be gratefully received on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Society.

For further information please call our funeral home on 01270 584447.