GIll Meason (nee Kirkman) – 6s 40-48

Submitted by Liz Matthews (daughter)

Gill Meason (nee Kirkman) died on 12th March 2023, age 93, after a short illness.

Gill arrived at C.H. Hertford as a boarder in September 1940.  She was in the 6s and her individual number was 29!  She loved her time at C.H. and shared many memories from sleeping in the cellars during the Battle of Britain to the nicknames of the loos in their house: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John!  She made some lifelong friends.

She went on to read modern languages at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. After completing a PGCE, she started a career as a secondary school teacher, mainly French and German. One of her early teaching jobs was at a brand new grammar school in Bexley, Kent. One of the houses was named after her: Kirkman, and is still in existence today. She kept in touch with the school into her 80s and spoke at a number of assemblies describing her time there.

While at Oxford she discovered a passion for drama.  In her mid 20s she joined a local amateur group in Dartford (The Geoffrey Whitworth) and met her husband, Miller Meason. They married in 1958 and had 3 children, Elizabeth, Flett and Martin.  Sadly Miller died too young at 64 yrs but Gill’s indomitable, cheerful spirit carried her through.  She was a contestant on 3 TV quiz shows, enjoyed a tour of the USA visiting friends and family along the way, took many holidays in France, went on countless scrabble holidays and attended many CH reunions.

She loved her three grand-daughters and was thrilled to know that a great grand-daughter was on the way, born just 6 weeks after she died.

I think she will be remembered best for her selfless nature and mischievous sense of humour.

We, her children, remember her as a rock in our lives, rarely rattled, never judging, celebrating even the smallest wins. She was kind, forgiving, funny and much loved.