Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Joanna was the first of Norman and Ida’s two daughters, born in 1922 while they were living in Harrow. In 1929 the family moved into The Chalet, at the end of Shootersway Lane, Berkhamsted (demolished in 1963). Joanna attended Berkhamsted School for Girls and later briefly a convent in Surrey. During the war Joanna served with WRNS at Havant, from where she witnessed preparations for the Normandy landings. She went on to attain her secretarial qualifications and then obtained a post with Hulton Press in Watford working for Farmers’ Weekly.  After the Farmers’ Weekly Joanna worked in the typing section of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and for the rest of her working life divided her time between various European-based organisations and the office of a planning adviser in Castle Street. When in England she lived in a house at Heath End. Joanna moved from Heath End to Edgehill and continued dividing her work between England and organisations in Europe.  For some of this period she also maintained a house in the south of France. When she reluctantly had to give up professional work she kept busy with gardening and entertaining friends at Edgehill, and in her later years took a special interest in the birds in the garden. She had frequent visits from her family, especially Charles and his wife and two sons.  In her very final months she moved to the Kilfillan care home in Graemesdyke Road where she died.