Sylvia Gibbons

It is with great sadness that I have to announce the passing of Sylvia Gibbons on 29th September, a founder member of the Shropshire Cat Club. Sylvia passed away after a short stay in Severn Hospice. She received her cancer diagnosis in late 2016 at the time her daughter was fighting and losing her own battle with cancer. She had only been breeding Siamese for a short time when, along with several other local Breeders, she formed the Shropshire Cat Club in 1975. Sylvia was the last surviving member of this group, remaining on the Committee and as Vice-President until the end.The last Committee Meeting before her death was, like so many others, held at her house. Her prefix Richdale was a combination of the names of her children Richard and Dale and the cats she bred will appear in large numbers of Siamese and Oriental pedigrees. Her main focus was breeding Seal Point Siamese but she did have a brief spell of breeding Tabby Points (or stripeys as she called them). Siamese and Oriental Breeders throughout the Midlands and beyond would be welcomed and encouraged into the Cat Fancy by her, taking their kittens for her honest and well-informed opinion. This was particularly obvious when the deliveries of frozen cat food were delivered to her house for distribution. Over the years she kept several stud boys and to anyone who took a cat to visit one of them it was easily apparent what excellent care she took of them and the visiting queens.
At the Shropshire Cat Club Show she was a stalwart, behind the scenes and she worked tirelessly from making the tea and coffee at the first Show to making the running of the tombola stall her own.
Away from the Cat Fancy she bred several foals, had a particular fondness for her garden and a wonderful sense of mischief making. Our thoughts are with her husband John, son Richard, son-in-law Andrew and grand-daughters Denika and Saskia at this very difficult time.
Mark Lewis
Chairman

Yvonne Clubbe

I would like to thank Rob Clubbe for letting me know of the passing of his Mother, Yvonne on 2nd September 2018. Yvonne became Secretary, and husband Edwin became Treasurer, of the Shropshire Cat Club in the late 1970's. She held this position until 1989 when she was forced to step down to recover from a brain aneurism that she suffered the year before. She was also long-haired section manager for our first few Championship Shows. She had commenced breeding persian cats in the early 1970's under her prefix Englesea and had progressed to the stage where she was about to apply to become a judge of persians, when in 1988 the aneurism occurred that changed her life. I am pleased to say that being a very determined lady, she recovered, albeit without cats in her life, and led a happy independent life in Wem even after the death of Edwin in 1998. In 2014 she moved out of the area to be nearer Rob and his family.
If anyone wishes to contact Rob Clubbe to reminisce and catch up I can forward details to him.
Mark Lewis
Chairman

Aiden Gillen

The Club has heard of the death of Aiden Gillen in January 2022.He will be remembered for his love of Siamese Cats. Aiden had been Secretary of the Club for a number of years until the death of his Partner, Richard Mycroft, following which he remained as Membership Secretary for a couple of years.
Mark Lewis
Chairman