Obituary & Weybridge War Time Memories Of Mavis Scanes (née Higgins)

Obituary for Mavis Scanes – known as Mavis Higgins when she lived in Weybridge Surrey

 

Mavis Scanes passed away Saturday Sept. 8. 2018 surrounded by her family in Everett, Washington State, USA.

Mavis was 84, born in Rochester, Kent August 29, 1934. She attended St. James School in Weybridge.

She was the daughter of Arthur Albert Higgins and Doris May Higgins. Mavis married Robert Edward Scanes in 1952.

Their daughter, Carole was born in Woking Hospital in 1954.

Mavis Higgins - Weybridge School Days at St James Primary School
Weybridge Obituary - Mavis Higgins Scanes with Dog Nibs
Photos shown are Mavis aged 16 and a recent picture

Notes From Carole Scanes – Daughter

The black and white photo above is of mum when she was 16 so the year would be 1950.

The photo at the top of this page is from 1941 when mum, her brother Len, sister Jean and cousins Gerald, Chris and Mary were all in Birmingham. Chris and Mary lived there but the others
were sent there to get away from the bombing.

Mum, then Mavis Higgins is the taller one in the front row. Her sister Jean Higgins is the oldest one in the back row. Leonard Higgins is the older boy next to Mavis. She has her right arm on his knee.

The Air Raid song below is one mum remembered singing in the shelters.

Weybridge Obituary - Mavis Higgins Scanes with Daughter Carole

Mavis Scanes Air Raid Song 1944-45

God is our refuge, be not afraid
He will be with you all through the raid,
When bombs are falling and danger is near,
He will be with you until the all clear.

We’ll Gather Lilacs In The Spring Again

We’ll gather lilacs in the spring again
And walk together down an English lane
Until our hearts have learned to sing again
When you come home once more

And in the evening by the firelight’s glow
You’ll hold me close and never let me go
Your eyes will tell me all I long to know
When you come home once more

Although you’re far away, and life is sad and grey
I have a scheme; a dream to try

I’m thinking dear, of you and all I mean to do
When we’re together, you and I

We’ll soon forget our care and prayer
And find such lovely things to share again

We’ll gather lilacs in the spring again
And walk together down an English lane
Until our hearts have learned to sing again
When you come home once more

And in the evening by the firelight’s glow
You’ll hold me close and never let me go
Your eyes will tell me all I want to know
When you come home once more

Note from friend: “This is the song Mavis and I used to duet when we walked to and from school” – Maureen Amato.

To My Family, (2009)

I love my family and family gatherings
I love NIbbs, Taking her for walks.
I love, flowers, trees, sunshine, mountians, the country side, the sea,
Warm wind, soft rain, the moon, stars, good music, clouds, birds, some
Animals and good food.
Sitting in my garden in the summer.
Walking on the beach. Snow on the mountains, sunrises and sunsets.
Walking through the woods and the beach. What a beautiful world
We live in.
Where do we go?
Will we meet again?
Back to the circle above.
Miss you all.

Weybridge Obituary - Mavis Higgins Scanes with Daughter Carole

Weybridge History – Do You Have Any Memories / Photos?

If you or your family have any photos or memories you’d like to share with the local community, please send them by email to info@allaboutweybridge.co.uk

Contributions from local historians are particularly welcome.

 

Website For Surrey History Centre’s World War 1 Project

Surrey Heritage has been inviting people of all ages to share memories, photos, letters and records from this historic time. Now they’re all available to explore online at www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk

On this history website you can also upload your own stories and photos. It has been set up as part of ‘Surrey in the Great War: A County Remembers’ – a four year project supported by the Heritage lottery fund.

The project aims to create a lasting digital memorial to the county’s role during the First World War, both on the home front and the foreign battlefields.