In loving memory of Jewyl Shellard who sadly passed away on 8th December 2017.
Margaret Jewyl Thomas was born in San Diego to Welsh missionary parents working in Mexico but left when she was just one year old. After a few years in the UK she and her adventurous parents moved to Ronda, Spain, where they lived until civil war broke out in 1936. At the age of 5 Jewyl spoke Spanish better than English and retained a love of languages all her life.
After leaving Spain Jewyl and her parents located in Woodville Road, Thornton Heath, though she spent much time visiting Welsh cousins in Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil. She was an only child, but formed a strong bond with her cousin Edgar, who she stayed with during the WW2 evacuation. She famously threathened to punch the school bully, Willy Jones, for bothering Edgar, even though Willy was much bigger than her!
Jewyl studied 'O' and 'A' levels at Selhurst High School, now the Brit School, and excelled in French, her favourite subject. She went on to train as a primary school teacher at Stockwell College in Bromley and has worked in a number of schools across the Croydon area. She devoted the last years of her career to St. Marks School in South Norwood, where she made some firm friends.
When she met and fell in love with Jack Shellard in the 1950s they decided to go do missionary work in Africa. They got married out there, Jewyl making her own wedding dress to save money, and they lived together in Tanzania from 1960-1963, Jewyl working as a teacher to help support Jack's outreach work.
After returning from Africa Jack and Jewyl had two daughters, Janet and Ann, and the family settled in Croydon. Jewyl worked as a teacher but continued to be very involved in the church, running a women's group, participating in outreach work and in latter years teaching English to NLCC bible students from Eastern Europe.
Jewyl was quite creative, playing the piano and accordion as well as being accomplished in knitting and dress-making. She was well-known for her cooking and especially her cakes and desserts. She loved having people over for dinner and made sure there was always enough food for second helpings! She was devastated when Jack passed away in 2000 but continued to socialise, attend church and be very much a part of the local Christian community.
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