2005 Obit: Gladys Thorpe

Subject: Obit: Gladys Thorpe
From: MarkAustin
Date: 23 Apr 05 - 09:44 AM

This message appeared on the International Concertine Association egroup:

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From: "J Wild"

Dear Friends

It is with deep sorrow that I have to inform you that our dear friend
Glad passed away during the night. After a fall at home, Glad had
been in a nursing home for some weeks, and was not likely to return
home for some time. However, she felt ill on Friday afternoon, and
was not receiving visitors. She died in her sleep during the night.

Glad was 85 and had been an inspiration to several generations of
concertina players.

Details of funeral arrangements are not known yet but these can be
passed on when available to those who wish them.

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For those who didn't know Glad - as she was known to everyone she met - she was an enthusiast for the English concertina, and one who would teach anyone who expressed even the slightest interest in the instrument. She taght me many years ago (after I made the mistake of expressing in interest in the instrument at a local Folk Club) and lent me an instrument to practice on before I bought my first concerntine, and some of my happiest moments were spent playing and chatting in the sitting room of her flat.

She probabally taught more people to play than anyone in the UK, if not the world, and will be missed by hundreds of people. She was a stalwart of the West Country Concertina Players Sidmouth workshops: where I was priviliged to assist her teaching the absolute beginners.

She never (to my knowledge) ever charged for teaching; but always said that you should teach another to play as payment.

She was always cheerful and enthusiastic about everything she did, and inspired joy and friendship in everyone she met.

She will be missed by everyone in the concertina world, and by all of her many friends and collegues.

A great joy has gone out of this world.

Mark Austin.