Mary Helen (Nell) Apps
1909 - 1997
Nell Apps – maiden name Hornsby, a Slindon village family going back over 300 years was born in the IrishRepublic, where her father was serving in the British Army. Her parents met at the ‘Currah’ a horse racing event and went on to marry on 20thApril 1904.
When the First World War broke out her father was posted to France and the family Nell, her mother, Joe and Dick moved to London. Tragedy struck when Joe was drowned in the River Thames. His father was refused permission to come home on compassionate leave.
Photograph courtesy of Robin Upton
When the war ended, her father was asked to stay on in France to assist with organisation and administration duties and the family moved to France. Nell enjoyed this and returned to England speaking fluent French but she never forgotthe sight of wreckage, the makeshift crosses and the endless diet of horsemeat stew.
Nell was very proud that her father was chosen to unveilthe memorial cenotaph in Church Hill. Nell made frequent visits from London to visit her Grandparents Hornsby who lived in the old cottage opposite the pond. Eventually the family moved to Slindonand lived at 2 Church Hill, then the Clubhouse and on to Wades Cottage. It was around this time that she remembers meeting Hilaire and Madame Belloc.
Nell met her future husband Arthur John (Jack)Apps when they were children. He lived in the Lime Tree Housewhere his father ran a shop and pub. They both attended St Richard’s RC School in Top Rd (now St Richards Cottage). They married in St Richards in 1936 and spent a happy honeymoon in Worthing.
They produced five sons John, Peter and Michael (twins), Richard and David. Nell and Jack lived in many cottages in the village. Firstly at48 Slindon Common, then 23 Top Rd and on to the Lime Tree House where they took over the shop and where they hosted the famous Slindon darts matches supported by equally famous mountains of cheese and onion sandwiches
In 1965 they moved to 14 Church Hill, 41 Slindon Village and finally to 17 Church Hill.
Throughout her life Nell was a devoted member of St Richards. She had many interests, football, poetry, cricket, snooker reading and a passion for crossword puzzles. She loved Whist Drive having enjoyed many, years earlier at Club Cottage. She made several pilgrimages to Lourdes. Her main preoccupation was with her family of five sons, and their wives, nine grandchildren and a great grandchild. She was a mine of information about the village. She remained active and retained her sense of humour regaling everyone with her limericks,poems and anecdotes.