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Tribute to J Piper from F Jenner (S1108)

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Actual Text:	Tribute and memories for Jesse. Jesse was well established in the world by the time I was born so I looked upon him as an authority on almost everything. Young enough to play with me and old enough for security. We shared a mutual father as his own mother had sadly died when only 34 He was born in Mitcham Lane. London when daddy was teaching at Streatham Grammar School. Both parents came from Staplehurst and were married in this church. On one occasion at a hotel, the observation was made to my parents by a fellow guest on the age difference "between your two children" to which I factually and precociously replied, unaware of the moral mores of the time. "That's because Jesse was born before Mummy and Daddy were married". The reaction of the other guests was a source of constant amusement to Jesse whose over riding quality was his great sense of humour, which would start with a slow, wry grin and become a shoulder shaking total laugh his blue eyes sparkling with the funniness of it all. He seemed to see a funny side in most things and always had a joke for me. even in the last years of his life often at the expense of one of my political heroes or heroines, as in the case of Mrs. T. We held totally opposing views on politics but I admired the way Jesse stood by his views all his life and loyally actively supported the party he believed in. We would rag each other about our differing views but always ended up with a laugh and good humour. My first memory of Jesse awareness is of being pushed by him in my pushchair from Mount Pleasant. 343 Loose Rd. down to Shields Crescent where there might be a fish and chip van. He would buy 6d of chips and we would stop by the wall of Southborough School to consume these. In the wall of the school were- are still- drainage holes Jesse would produce in a grand manner one chip from the bag and pass it to me saying" One for you". Then repeat the action and say "One for me" and then, the crowing of the trip, "and one for Emile Jenkins" putting as he said this, a chip into one of the holes in the wall, where Emile Jenkins lived. This name, invented by my mother was used for a imaginary figure who features large in my life and he could be anywhere at any time. Jesse adopted him as required for my entertainment along with his own "person" The Man with the Beard" rather more fearful and he would jump out accompanied by Jesse at which I enjoyed the ensuing scream! At Easter Jesse would become a chocolate egg laying chicken and produce these confections from various chairs on which he sat. Aged four I considered this among his finest and most memorable achievements. Only one degree less exciting were the real egg hunts in the orchard at his grandmother’s house. The Gables, Staplehurst. Then the name Ella Driver was constantly mentioned in the household and this seemed to reduce the time Jesse spent playing with me! I recall a dark haired girl, visiting the house -a teenage girlfriend. At that time he was preparing to start his career in quantity surveying which was in later years, to take him overseas and in which he rose to the top positions. Then came the war. Jesse was called up and the family shared the anxiety experienced by most families that harrowing situation. Jesse's first leave brought enormous pleasure to us and I remember as he picked me up as 1 ran up to him. How very itchy his khaki uniform was Then I saw he had a strip on his arm. Shouting "Jesse's got a stripe" at the top of my voice he assumed a coy pose and blushed and chuckled heartily as mum and dad congratulated him. His next leave was not so conducive to congratulations as the weary soldier had come home in the middle of the night., unexpected, as they usually did. and had fallen asleep on one of the drawing room sofas boots still on. Next morning there was a loud scream from my mother who, going into the room saw legs and boots protruding over the end of the sofa and almost fainted!! However, the humour broke through and the joy at having Jesse home for a week-end quickly evaporated the shock. Jesse was posted to somewhere in Lancashire to continue training where he met a young mill girl named Nellie Stott. He wrote letter praising her and asked if she could come to visit us on his next leave warning us that she was very shy and (with the social order of that time making distinct divisions between class and culture) a little fearful of coming down south and staying with the type of people she had never encountered before. She was a petite round faced, blue eyed blond with a warm personality. I loved her at once. Jesse said, as the family assembled for drawing tea. "Nellie sings" Mummy asked her what she would like to sing and Nellie said quietly in her strong Lancashire accent. "Lovely Day To-morrow" Accompanied by my mother she sang this beautiful melody clutching a chair tightly and gazing ahead tensely. Jesse was clearly very fond of her. Her stay was so happy and Jesse was really pleased about this and we all agreed that Nellie must come back soon as she could. A few weeks later a letter came to tell us that Nellie had died: working in a munitions factory she had gone to work with a virus and the complications had killed her within hours. Jesse was posted overseas shortly after that tragedy and became attached to a girl in South Africa. Letters between them were lost and both believed the other to have ended the relationship. As a letter arrived from Daphne asking how Jesse was. So another letter arrived from Jesse to say he was married to Tita after a whirlwind romance.! It was a happy marriage but like all. had its ups and downs. The arrival of the newlyweds after the war at The Elms was greeted by me with great excitement as the taxi bearing a proud and protective Jesse and an apprehensive big brown eyed Tita in a white blouse drove into the gates. It was a lunch time arrival and so many of the pupils gathered round to welcome them. They lived in a flat on the upper storey of The Elms and were living there when Allan and Landy were born which gave everyone such joy, although, sadly Jesse's step mother .who had treated him as her own son died when Allan was a few months old. They all move to Jesse's designed home Pia Rita where the parties became legendary in the modern and luxurious house. Billy will remember these more than 1 as I was overseas with my late husband for many years.. But the laughter was always there and a spirit of warmth within the house for all guests with Tita's hospitable nature. After Jesse's stroke in 2001 his health deteriorated but he still continued to occupy his mind with maths and the computer. The support of his former PA Carol was greatly appreciated He look a keen interest in her family and would tell me of the progress of Carol's grandchildren whom he considered to be very clever. After Tita's death he declined rapidly to reveal how strong the bond had been between them, despite the loudly disputed differences of opinion at times mutually expressed! He never failed to mention Allan and Landy and the grandchildren. When I criticised the enormous amount of food he kept in the house he would reply. "Well the family might turn up unexpectedly". I end memories of my half brother with a typical episode which sums up his sense of humour and his sensitive and kindly nature. During a spell in Maidstone hospital about 3/4 years ago. the next bed was occupied by a man over 90 years of age. This poor man never moved, never woke, never spoke and never had a visitor. We thought he might be paralysed. One day I arrived to visit Jesse and his neighbour's bed was empty. I asked about him and Jesse to my surprise tried to supress a disrespectful giggle. "He died last night" Jesse told me and then unable to contain himself longer he added with a grin. "He suddenly sat up in bed and shouted in a very loud voice that awoke everyone. "Bugger the Kaiser" and fell back dead." The incongruity of these final words in Maidstone made it impossible not to provoke some amused reaction despite the sad circumstances. Eventually. I suggested, after some thought. that the reason for these words might be that the man could have lost his father in ww1, hence the confounding of the Kaiser. Jesse’s face suddenly changed and from slight amused reaction to sorrow as he said "You could be right". This seemed to show that although Jesse could see something in funny in most things, his kindly nature would always predominate. God Bless Jess. Rest In Peace and Rise in Glory.
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