Parish People - Colin Swanton

by Alex Clouter

Parish People - Colin Swanton

Introduction Colin Swanton has been writing about our parish community since the publication of the Pentecost 2007 issue of the Parish Proclaimer, which was then under the editorship of Jenny Edmonds. Colin started his articles initially called ‘Colin’s Column’ in the magazine and then the title changed to ‘Parish People’ in the Pentecost 2009 issue, writing about Jim and Margaret Myerscough. Jenny had decided to step down from her role as editor. I came forward to help Canon Tim Madeley as he needed assistance to produce the Pentecost 2009 issue in its current form. I was introduced to the small group of parishioners involved in the magazine and that’s when I got to know Colin and became the next

editor of the Parish Proclaimer magazine. On one occasion I asked Colin if anyone else had written a feature about him. The answer was ‘no’ so I interviewed Colin at Cathedral House and sent the result to him the following day. He approved the article, and it appeared in the autumn 2013 edition, which is shown opposite. Sadly in April 2019 Colin had a mini-stroke behind one eye. With his other eye having a weak sight, Colin’s vision was now seriously bad. When I had a call from a parishioner about this I contacted Colin and during our conversation he told me that he would be unable to carry on with ‘Parish People’ anymore. He has interviewed and written features on 54 parishioners. Colin Swanton died on 21st July 2022. It was high time that we featured Colin Swanton in our

‘Parish People’ series, having written 31 articles for the Parish Proclaimer magazine since the Pentecost 2007 issue. This written piece is the result of an enjoyable and friendly chat one afternoon in early June 2013 in Cathedral House. Colin was born in Mitcham and later – his parents and siblings – moved to settle first in Hambledon and then to Chiddingfold, Surrey. They attended services at a Baptist chapel where Colin attended Sunday school and the ‘grounding’ of his faith started. “These were my formative years,” Colin explained, “and when I served my National Service in British Honduras (now known as Belize) I converted to the Catholic faith.” Colin was a Pay Corporal, co-ordinating the salaries of the 150 soldiers in the camp. He also had the responsibility of collecting the Jesuit priest for services at the camp and through many conversations en-route Colin was drawn to the Catholic faith. “My first Holy Communion was at Midnight Mass in Christmas 1960 and during Easter the following year

was confirmed, both celebrations taking place in Belize Cathedral, run by Jesuit priests from America.” Two years later, having completed his National Service in August 1961, Colin married his sweetheart, Jean Patricia Gilbert (who is usually known as Pat) with Father Charles Borelli taking the service at St Teresa of Avila Church in Chiddingfold. It was thought that their marriage was the very first for the church. Their

honeymoon was spent at Mermaid Hotel in Rye, East Sussex. As the following years rolled by, they had three children born to them – Catherine, Phillipa and Sam – and decided to adopt four more children – Stephen, Michael, Zelie and Ben – all mixed race – “as we had plenty of room in our hearts and our house for more! We were so happy that our adopted children fitted so well with our own, so we have happy memories of all seven growing up together, going away on holidays and the like!” For several years Pat was editor of ‘Adoption Today’, the magazine for an adoption support organisation (then PPIAS) called Adoption UK, having previously worked for the mental health charity MIND. She was also a part-time adult education tutor and worked in a voluntary capacity as a literacy tutor in post adoption support work and as a member of adoption panels. She and Colin were both members of ARC, the fundraising organisation for research into rheumatism and arthritis. Colin’s work was very much in the plastics industry,

involved in sales, and as I was writing away during my interview with him for this article, he was already making comments to me after reading my notes whilst sitting opposite me. As I remarked on Colin’s speed reading while sitting opposite me, he said, “I first learned my ‘upside down’ reading very quickly when I was a salesman having to run through the quotations for clients. It was essential so that I could get their signature at the bottom of that form – a trick of the trade!”

Much of Colin’s working life was spent at the English subsidiary of a French machinery company called Billion SA. There was a lot of commuting between the family home in West Yorkshire and the UK subsidiary in Milton Keyes and also when he became Managing Director in 1995, trips to the HQ based in Oyonnax, France close to the Swiss border. Retiring in June 2001, it was not long before Colin and Pat had the urge to move back to Surrey and Sussex. They settled down in an old cottage in Walberton in June 2005 with the intention of being less busy, a slower pace of life with peace and quiet. In reality this did not happen! Colin had spent 37 years in Otley and the voluntary work he undertook showed the strong dedication he had to making a difference to the parish. He was chair of the Governors at St Joseph’s Primary School for seven years and chair of the Parish Pastoral Council for another seven years, albeit at a different time. Colin was a Eucharistic Minister for a number of years, as well as being a sacristan and a welcomer. You can add to this the numerous ‘Parish People’ articles for ‘Warfe Tales’, a parish magazine for Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Church, so life for Colin was certainly full during his Yorkshirian times of his life, loyally and unequivocally supported by Pat and his extended family. So it just had to follow that after the move to Walberton, Colin commenced his support to Arundel Cathedral by becoming server and a sacristan in 2005. He then joined the

Parish Communications Team and began writing ‘Parish People’ for the Parish Proclaimer. Since then Colin has tirelessly written many articles for the Cathedral’s parish magazine, and he keeps going!! As if this was not enough, Colin also ‘throws himself’ into another passion, namely photography. Although this has had to take a backward step since retiring for a number of reasons, he still gets enormous pleasure in capturing the beauty of landscapes as well as the splendour of castles, cathedrals and churches. Animals and flower studies were also other themes. “I feel blessed with steady hands,” says Colin, yet another skill to add to his upside-down reading ability!! Colin went on a Charlie Waite (currently one of the world’s leading landscape photographers) photographic course, to improve his knowledge and skills. His first assignment with Charlie was to the Lake District where they sat for three hours taking the same photograph every 15 minutes to compare the difference light makes to a photograph over time. Colin also managed to squeeze more time out of his days by gardening – his own and also enjoying the splendour of those of the National Trust. In addition he serves at Slindon on a Sunday morning as well as at Saturday Vigil Mass at the Poor Clares Convent. Colin and Pat decided to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary one year early at the Mermaid Hotel in Rye in September 2012 – where they honeymooned as well as celebrated their silver and ruby wedding anniversaries. Love and romance certainly remains as strong now as it was back when they first met in 1961. With so much going on in Colin’s life – with 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren – there is never a dull moment in the Swanton family! To finish with Colin’s own words: “I just can’t resist doing so much in my life. Me compulsive…? Well I’m afraid so!” From Colin’s daughter, Phillipa: “Colin died peacefully on 21st July 2022 and he is now reunited with his beloved Pat. He will be missed by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, brothers and sister, carers, pets and everyone who knew him”.

A letter from his daughter and read by his granddaughter at the funeral Hi Pops, it’s me! When you got your diagnosis I promised you that I could be with you every step of the way. I told you that you might forget me but that I would never forget you. You responded instantly “I’ll never forget you!” And you were right. You knew us all up to your last breath. A specialist told me that your sight loss conformed to no known pattern. Nothing else about you did either. Dementia might have damaged your mind and taken your words away but it magnified your heart and your soul. It removed your inhibitions and we laughed with you more than ever before. You made us laugh Dad. A lot. I will never forget you telling us you were “snugger than a bugger in a rugger”. Or the grin on your face when we talked about what you got up to in the army. Or you conducting ‘Lily the Pink’ or humming along to the Dambusters tune. Or singing ‘I’m tired and I want to go to bed’. All the way from West Sussex to Yorkshire. For approximately five and a half hours. Or when you asked the lady in the café whether your walking stick was an umbrella or a flamingo. (A flamingo apparently). So very many happy memories. “How did you know where to find me?” you used to say when I arrived at your nursing home or a hospital ward. I told you I always knew where you were and that you just had to wait for me and I would come. And you did wait for me that morning. The morning you took the final step on this leg of your journey and I told you Mum had got a bottle of rose in the fridge for you both. You never thought that ten past eleven was too early to open a bottle. Thank you for being you. Thank you for being so special to so many people. Phil xxx “There are some things that dementia cannot alter. Our love for you will never falter.” Photos courtesy of the Swanton Family.