The following notes are a collection of stories and memories mostly recorded in notebooks and other odd scrapbooks, which have recently been found.

She was an avid storyteller and tried unsuccessfully her whole life to get her works published.

Some of the stories are extremely factual whereas some others are possibly more fiction than fact.

Grace was truly a Malmesbury woman being born at 67 High Street as Grace Hester Wheal.

Below is a photo of her (standing) with her sister Mary taken in 1924.

Even through she moved away from Malmesbury in 1960, she retained a strong spiritual love of the town and re-visited whenever possible. She also loved contributing to the Abbey Parish Magazine, which indeed prompted Colin Forward to wax lyrical about a piece of hers in his diaries (see page 10).

Wherever possible I will endeavour to give an approximate date the piece relates to but there are pieces, which I can only suggest dates for.

What will be evident to readers is that the events recorded happened between 50 and 80 years ago.

I hope you enjoy these works by my mother.

Chris Poole

August/September 2004