Rose Turner, who died in May 2024, will be very sadly missed by the bp society. She was a doyenne of the society, and a very active member in the Home Counties North (HCN) region, alongside her late husband Tony (bps news, May 2019, p8), who was for many years the HCN Treasurer. Between them, they organized a myriad of events, from regular outings to the Cambridge Arts Theatre and the annual Christmas events to many one-off visits to places such as the National Stud at Newmarket Stud at Newmarket.
Rose was born and spent almost her whole life in the small village of Ugley in Essex, a place she loved, living for over 50 years of it in the Old School House on the Green. She always called herself an Ugley girl!
She grew up in a small household near to Orford House, spending her days milking cows, riding ponies and helping her father Albert, a local gardener. It’s also where she learnt her impressive cookery skills — as the oldest sister, she supported her mother Madeline from an early age in feeding the family. This was a passion that continued through her life: not only did she host many, many dinner parties, but she also later mastered the art of cake baking and decoration.
Throughout her life, Ugley remained central to Rose’s heart. Even in her later years she was known well to many, if not most, of the village, through her input at the village hall and church, and regular visits to the many local pubs she would frequent for a sociable glass of wine or three.
Despite remaining in Ugley, Rose was ambitious, looking beyond the opportunities of the village, and from a very young age set her sights on a career in London working at BP, where she met her husband Tony.
She spent her working career commuting to and from London, taking the train from Elsenham and — more frequently — back to Stansted Moutfitchet, where she and Tony could enjoy a glass of wine together at the Dog and Duck before going home on the back of Tony’s bike.
Aside from the social scene which followed Rose and Tony, early retirement allowed the couple to enjoy another of their passions — travelling, including a round-the-world trip that took in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Isles and America (a place they returned to in style aboard the QE2 and on family holidays). They also invested in a narrow boat, Poppy, moored on the River Stort, where the family enjoyed many get-togethers.
Everywhere Rose went she made friends — many of whom she remained in touch with to her final days — as well as being a great colleague. Her presence at society events is greatly missed.
We are very grateful to Mark Bunting and Rose’s family for the extracts from the eulogy at her funeral.
TOP PHOTO: Rose at her niece Carol’s wedding in 2019