Patricia Rudland (6 Apr 1930 - 4 Oct 2018)

In loving memory of Patricia Rudland.

Fondly known as 'Pat' to her family and friends.

Sadly passed away on Thursday 4th October 2018, aged 88 years.

Floral tributes can be sent c/o John Weir Funeral Directors, 25 New Road, Chatham, Kent.ME4 4QJ by 9.00 am on Friday 2nd November 2018

Mum was born to Charles and Lillian Aldridge on the 6th April 1930 at there family home at 2 Nelson Terrace in Luton ,

Pat was one of 4 children, Rene, June & Don

This home was a typical Victorian dwelling with a very large garden, that her father (Pop) turned into a small large allotment with many vegetables and a large chicken house, so allowing the family to have a good supply of fresh vegetables and most probably led to mums passion of gardening, which she has all her life.

Mum went to the local schools in Luton, and when she left school became a shop assistant.

Mum & Dad ( Peter) met in 1947, Mum then being 17 & Dad 19, at the local cinema( the Ritz) in Chatham, they got married after 2 years of courtship at Luton Church aged 19 & 21, just after dad had finished his apprenticeship as a Shipwright.
This being on October 15th 1949

Mum and dad had rooms initially in Balmoral road Gillingham, and then eventually moved to the family home in Beacon Hill, right in the heart of Luton, where they stayed many years , until moving to Churchill Ave

During there early years of courtship and marriage Pat & Peter had a love of ballroom dancing, and went to many functions to dance the night away with there great lifelong friends’ of Tommy & Joyce Wilkinson , this included many Dockyard functions with all the glitz and glamour of ladies with their posh dresses on and the gentlemen suited and booted .

They also went to hear and dance to many of the big bands of the day, and mum spoke of the Ted Heath band as her favourite.

In the early years it must have been hard to bring up a family of 4 siblings and to make ends meet mum took on the role of doing Field work, this covered areas like Hop Picking in the local hop fields working for Miss Joan Bachelor , for many years and as her children stated, many a summer holiday was spent in the local hop fields at Hempsted and at Capstone .

Later after the hop fields closed down, mum went onto many different types of field work picking many different types of fruit throughout the orchards of Kent.
Finally ending up at the East Malling Research station, picking fruit for a government dept , which was a prized job in those days

They went onto celebrate their Golden wedding anniversary on 2009
Dad finally passing away in 2015

They had 4 children, Kerion, who has 1 son Shaun, Keith, Clifton, & Debbie. Who has 3 grandchildren, Tashan, Tia, & Yasmine (Shaun (Grandson ) who is married to Stacey have Elise, Charly, Ruby & Masie , who are Pats Great Grandchildren.

Dad was a player and eventually life president for Luton Village Cricket club and this is where
Mum supported dad and the club for many years in preparing the teas for both teams.

Many of the teams used to comment on the quality & quantity of the teas. And at times it was wondered if they just came to have the teas rather than play the cricket.