Graham Keen – Monica Lambert

Graham Keen (1940-2019)

Graham was born in Totton, Southampton in November 1940. His parents were Bertie Keen and Pearl Valentine Keen. The family soon moved back to Abshot to the family farm. Granfer Keen and his twin brother Philip were many times Hampshire ploughing champions; this was Graham’s first contact with horses and this love for them continued through his life.

He was educated in local schools, and eventually qualified as a Quantity Surveyor, this took several years of both full time and part time study. He would cycle from Locksheath to Woolston and catch the Floating Bridge across to the Technical College, often staying at his maternal grandparents’ home in Woolston. Fred and Ethel Sims won an award for Services to Humanity when running the Public Baths – they would provide warm towels and soap for those that did not have them and hot drinks following the bath!

Graham had 2 sisters, Gill (who died aged 43) and Mandy (who was 22 years younger than him), who competes in and judges dressage competitions all over the country, including Dorset . His brother Adrian was 17 years younger than him, so the Keens had their children well-spaced in age! Graham was a keen sportsman, playing football, cricket and snooker as a young man, and golf later on in life. He followed Southampton F.C. for most of his life.

His sister, Gill had a school friend Janet, who eventually married Graham in 1967 at Trinity Church, Fareham. They had 2 sons, David and Adam (David now lives in Alton Pancras, Adam in West Sussex). Around 1975 it was established that Graham had a hereditary and progressive eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. He had always been accident-prone, but everyone thought he was just clumsy; instead the reason was RP and the gradual and continuing loss of his central vision.

Graham continued to work, not just in Hampshire, but Hertfordshire and Guernsey as well. As his eyesight deteriorated he stopped driving; but Janet drove him to work before taking the boys to school and going to work herself. Later the DSS and his employers funded a machine which enabled him to read architectural drawings and Bills of Quantity. They also took over the chauffeuring to and from work and to Site Meetings, etc. When he was 58 it was suggested that the removal of cataracts from both eyes might improve his vision; sadly this was not the case, as too much light damaged the retina and removed his eyesight completely. Early retirement was the only option.

Living in a Southampton suburb 3 miles from the City and 1 mile from a garage, Graham was unable to retain his independence; hence the move to Piddletrenthide. Regular visits to their Lodge at Osmington Mills made the decision as to where to move simple – it had to be Dorset! In 1999 the move to Northfield was made; Graham never looked back.

The Village, and indeed the Piddle Valley, became a wonderful and welcoming home. In no time at all Graham could be seen caning through the Village from home to either the shop or the Piddle Inn. He went to the Sunday Club in the Piddle Inn and learnt Braille to join the crib team, encouraged by Keith Critchell. He became firm friends with Paul Knight; joined the Garden Club, the Piddlehinton Indoor Bowls Club, supported Plush Cricket Club as Keith took him around to the matches. He participated in the Village Fete, went to Coffee Mornings and Lunch Clubs; all in all he had a wonderful life. Graham was determined to help other people suffering with RP and had several street collections a year for the Charity as well as Garden Parties, he also raised money for the RNIB, whose Talking Books gave him such pleasure. He managed to raise at least £30,000.

In recent years he was diagnosed with dementia which inhibited his social life and his mobility but he continued to laugh and enjoy the company of others.

His Thanksgiving Service was attended by over 200 people – testimony to his popularity. He loved this Valley – thank you to everyone who helped him to live his life to the full; came to the Service and/or made donations which have been shared between Retina UK and the Alzheimer’s Society.

Monica Lambert (1933-2011)

Monica was born at Colchester Garrison Hospital to Company Sergeant Major David Brown and his wife, Doris. She became the regimental mascot as the first baby to be born in the hospital, attending regimental parades in her pram, whence her lifelong love of military music. Come the war, her mother, and sister Malyn, moved into London, while father survived the fighting in Africa and Italy. She excelled at her convent school although classrooms would ring to the shout “Monica Brown stand up” whenever there was trouble, redeemed by her playing the piano for morning prayers!

Always energetic, uncharacteristically when aged 20 she almost didn’t attend an event at Colchester Officers’ Club but her mother persuaded her. That night she met a dashing young army officer in full uniform who immediately fell for her. On their second date, John Lambert arrived in his old Bullnose Morris car and asked her to marry him. He kept trying and they married in Colchester in 1955.

Home was Virginia Water, Surrey, in the same road as John’s sister Pam and husband Leslie. Their children Joanna and Caroline were born there and soon home became a playgroup for the rest of the street, where Monica demonstrated that she would have made an excellent if slightly unorthodox teacher! In 1967 they moved with John’s job to Hythe, Kent and in 1979 another career-move led to a derelict mill in Piddletrenthide, which John transformed into an attractive family house, with Monica converting the garden.

A talented tennis player, Monica was instrumental in the formation of the valley club, joined the Gardens Club and made many friends, notably near neighbours Mike and Sally Howard-Tripp. She was a receptionist at Cerne Abbas Surgery and active in country life for some 20 years until declining health meant a move to Dorchester and later to Weymouth.

Her family supplied the best description of her on the cake to mark Monica and John’s silver wedding; “Never a Dull Moment”.

Colin Dean