Life stories - Pam, Carey Gardens

Pam’s love of fishing has its roots in childhood. “We used to go to Barmouth in North Wales for our holidays and my father would go fly-fishing for salmon. My sister and I went with him – I absolutely loved it."

As an adult, Pam always had a hankering to learn fly-fishing herself, but it was only at the age of 70 that she finally realised her ambition. She made enquiries at the nearby Thornton Reservoir, where there was a local fishing guide, Ifor Jones. “I said, ‘Do you teach old ladies?’ He took me for my first lesson. It was hard standing on the pontoon casting off. But I was determined. Ifor said afterwards that he realised that I wasn’t going to be easily put off.”

It’s fair to say she was hooked. These days Pam’s favourite way to fish is from a boat and she mostly catches trout. “Out on the water it’s just so peaceful watching the birds and other wildlife,” she says. Other of her favourite fishing spots include Draycote Water in Warwickshire and Eyebrook in Rutland.

One summer Linda and Pam went on a fishing trip to Scotland, staying at the magnificent Tigh Mor castle in the Trossachs. The ladies picked up some top fishing tips from Morris Meikle, a local ‘ghillie’ – a Scots word for a fishing or hunting guide. Morris promised the ladies that if they came back next year he would take them salmon fishing. And so they returned, this time with Carolyn too.

“When you go salmon fishing you have to keep throwing the line and spinning it round. It was so much fun. I even caught a salmon!” says Pam.

Pam’s fellow residents at Carey Gardens are often the beneficiaries of her adroit fishing skills. In normal times the scheme has a monthly Friday night dinner, with Pam’s freshly-caught trout gracing the table. It’s a social event that everyone hopes will return as lockdown eases.

Pam has lived in Leicestershire all her life. She was born on 23rd August 1934, a year and a day after her older sister Mary. Her early childhood was spent in the village of Great Glen, where her family lived in a cottage, Rose Cottage. “Over the wall it was just pure fields, which was wonderful as a child.”

Her father was the church bell ringer and her mother was in the Mothers’ Union. “We loved going to church,” says Pam. “I remember it so vividly. There was a beautiful brass eagle lectern at the front which I liked looking at.”

Every week Pam and her sister went to Sunday School. “I loved hearing all the stories at Sunday School – I loved a good story then, and I still do now.”

When Pam was 15, the family moved to Kirby Muxloe on account of their father’s job with the water department. One of the first things the family did on moving to the village was go to the local Anglican church, St Bartholomew’s. “We knew we would find friends and people there,” says Pam. Her father volunteered as a bell ringer and quickly found himself promoted to captain of the bells.

Sadly, her son Ian passed away in 2011 and a few years later in 2018 Pam lost her sister Mary to breast cancer. “I can’t tell you how much I miss her, but it was her time. We were so lucky to have each other. We always shared our families with each other. Now more than ever, her daughter Shirley is like a daughter to me and her children see me as a grandma.”

The community of Carey Gardens and Kirby Muxloe has been a strong support, especially during the pandemic. St Bartholomew’s has been able to open for private prayer. As life has slowly been returning to normal, Pam has enjoyed getting back on the water. “The first day was very emotional,” she says. “The sun was warm on the water, the birds were out, and the people walking around were so happy. Everything felt so much better.”