Barnes in Common

the magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
March/April 2009

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Vic Nolan

Everyone at St Mary’s knows Vic but you may not all realise that he has reached two milestones, one of 25 years and one of 185 miles.

Vic became Parish Clerk in 1984. As Parish Clerk, Vic is responsible for preparing the Wedding Banns and seeing that they are read out in time and for preparing the Wedding Certificates. Also at nearly all weddings and funerals at St. Mary’s, Vic opens and closes the Church, and before and during the services can be seen standing quietly at the back of the church seeing that all is going smoothly. Vic also counts all the collections and the takings at the Fairs and proceeds from the sale of Christmas cards. Vic was covenant secretary for many years and is still involved with gift aid payments. Three rectors, four treasurers and ten churchwardens owe a great debt of gratitude for Vic’s quiet and helpful assistance over the last 25 years.

Vic was born in Llanbraddach, in the Welsh mining valleys, in 1920. His father died in 1928. Life in South Wales at that time was very hard. At the age of only 15, Vic came to London, where a job had been secured for him. Once he had settled down, his mother and brother Jack moved up to join him. For 26 years he was Accounts Manager with British Metal Engraving in Twickenham.

Vic was called up in 1939 and served in the army in the UK, France, Belgium and Germany and was demobbed in 1945. His most famous exploits were the loss of his rifle for 24 hours which resulted in a charge and being knocked down by a tram while under the influence of rather too much alcohol!

He met Joan in 1953 on the set of a National Provincial production of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera because the Bank was short of Tenors. They married in March 1954 at St Mary’s and this was when he moved to Barnes. He has two children, Lynne and Roger and four grandchildren.

Sadly Joan died in August 2002. When she became frail, Vic nursed her devotedly for several years but after her death Vic gradually became more active in Barnes life. He has a very close family and thinks nothing of going up to Central London to see in the New Year with his grandchildren Alison and James and getting back to Barnes at 2.00 or 3.00 in the morning. He can often been seen striding around Barnes and attending dancing and exercise classes. He is an active member of the Good Companions and has on several occasions hosted a lunch for at least 20 and has just completed walking the whole length of the Thames Path, some 185 miles or so, not bad going for an 88 year old. Dancing is obviously in his blood and he is often seen with one of his various partners at tea dances at the Royal Opera House or at York House. All I can say Vic is thank you for all you do and “keep dancing”!

Tim Budgen