Gill Spilsbury

Gill was teaching at King’s School, Worcester, when we met as colleagues. She was “Old School”, there to teach, to fill young minds with useful information, not just to pass exams, but for life. She did not suffer fools lightly, and could bring anybody down with her sharp tongue, keen and honest observation and appreciation of the truth. Underneath this exterior, she had an absolute heart of gold. She was dedicated to the children in her care, stimulating them into learning, and in return they loved her. She brought a passion into her teaching, whether it was through her love of the French language, her artistic qualities, which often expressed themselves in her exotic appearance, or by appreciating far flung cultures. I remember her introducing the children to Indian food. They prepared a variety of spicy dishes. Despite being told to wash hands after touching chillies, one boy rubbed his eye, much to his discomfort. He learnt his lesson the hard way but it will be something he will never forget.

In 1996, as I was preparing to take a group of parents from King’s to the Himalaya, Gill’s beloved husband, Roger passed away. He had suggested to Gill that she might like to join my trip. It would give her something to think about and to look forward to after he had gone. So, in 1997, Gill joined the trip to Langtang, and it was to prove a life-changing event in her life. Whilst she was not the fittest person in the group, she was never lacking in determination, and she coped with the physicality of the trek by immersing herself in the lives, the culture and the language of our Sherpa crew. She got to know them pretty well and they her. While the rest of the group climbed Kyanjin Ri, Gill stayed in camp. A new toilet hole had been dug and Gill was the first to make use of it. Unfortunately, the ground around the hole was unstable and as Gill squatted it gave way. Gill grabbed the poles of the toilet tent for support, to prevent her from falling into the hole. In doing so she lost balance, pulled the tent down and was witnessed by the Sherpas lying on her back with her legs in the air. Was she embarrassed? Certainly not! She found the whole episode highly amusing. So did the Sherpas, once they knew she was alright, and so did we, when we heard the tale on our return from the summit.

On another occasion, one of our Sherpas was kidnapped, on the premise that we had stolen a dog. We hadn’t of course. Gill had been walking with the Sherpa when the incident occurred and, without any thought for her own welfare, waded in with the rather rough and ready crowd that had gathered. At the end of the day, common sense prevailed, and Gill and the Sherpa continued to camp without harm.

There was one young Sherpa, Pradip Rai, who really caught Gill’s attention. The teacher in her saw a very bright 17 year-old with potential. Gill took Pradip under her wing. It would prove to be a very strong and lasting relationship. She said, “There’s always room in one’s heart for another son.”

Gill came back from that trip and resigned from teaching. She had found something, not to replace Roger, but to fill the void left by him.

As soon as she could, she went back to Nepal, to stay with Pradip and his family. There they talked and talked, improving Pradip’s English while Gill learned Nepali. In 1998 they set up a trekking company, Access-Himalaya, organising trekking groups to the Himalaya and employing Pradip’s extended family to manage things when he was not there. Soon, Pradip enrolled on to a degree course at Worcester University.  Whilst still studying for his degree, he and Gill would market their business, give presentations and network both here and in France. Between them they built up a very good business where the ethos was to support local communities in the area where they trekked. They use some of the profits to support the very poorest of Nepali society, through the charity they set up, Jamarko, whose aim is to alleviate absolute and relative poverty. It is an organisation “of underprivileged people, working for underprivileged people and managed by underprivileged people.” Gill was very keen to stand up for these forgotten elements of Nepali society and they was passionate about the work being done.

Gill and Pradip would spend about six months each year in Nepal and six months in the UK. She continued to support and encourage Pradip’s own educational development and he took a Masters degree at Birmingham.

Gill was not getting any younger, and she did have family in the UK that deserved her attention. She adored her grandchildren, and they her. She was always interested in them and, at the same time, she was interesting to them – an extraordinary grandmother. Gill was always very special to her family.

In June of this year, just before she was due to return to the UK, she suffered a massive stroke. Pradip could see exactly what was happening to her and got her to the hospital very quickly. His speedy reaction probably saved her life, but the effects of the stroke were devastating. Complications meant that she could not come back to the UK, so her sons went to visit her. I think everybody knew that Gill, despite being a fighter, despite being an incredibly strong woman, was not going to recover from this.

Eventually, there was nothing more that the hospital in Kathmandu could do for her. Anticipating this moment, Pradip and his family had prepared their home for looking after Gill. And look after her they did, right until the end.

There are two families grieving for Gill today. Her English family know and understand that after Roger’s death she found a channel for her energy and a determination to continue to do something of real value with her life. And there is Pradip’s family who accepted Gill as one of their own for the last twenty-one years. She will be sorely missed.

To all of us who knew her, she was a woman of enormous strength, courage, wisdom and love. It is a privilege to have known her.

 

3 thoughts on “Gill Spilsbury

  1. That’s a lovely eulogy John and heartfelt.1996 brought a lot of heartache but new opportunities to help others for sure,
    Ann-Marie

  2. I heard from gill’s son Richard last year telling me about gill. We went to teachers training college together and my daughter was at school with Richard or Peter. We were very close friends with gill and Roger we always sent cards and news at xmas. I have tried to get in touch with Richard I replied to his e mail but it would not send. I hope I have not missed the service for gill in Worcester and I would like to get in touch with Richard and Peter. Please can you help me .Vicki Hewitt.

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