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- The Age, December 11, 2013
Valerie Farndale Bassett
29.4.1921 ? 9.12.2013
Dearly loved daughter of Dick and Irene Bassett (both dec.)
Beloved sister of Bronwen
Rest in Peace
The Age, December 11, 2013
Valerie Frandale Bassett
The Funeral of Miss
VALERIE FARNDALE BASSETT
will be held in the
Chapel at Wesley Place,
15 Skene Street, Colac, on THURSDAY, (Dec. 12,
2013) commencing at 11am.
The Funeral will leave the Chapel at the conclusion of the service for the Colac Lawn Cemetery.
QUINN FUNERALS
Colac 5231 2052
For Valerie Farndale Bassett 1921-2013
Many of us here today have special memories of Valerie and I am grateful for the privilege of giving voice to them. It is also special to be able to do so in the building which, as the home of the former Colac Wesley congregation, had special role in the life of the Bassett and Sitlington families, a role which went right back to the earliest days of the Colac Methodist establishment. Indeed her uncle and father are named on an honor board in the hall here, and the church is surrounded by a striking brick fence in memory of her aunt.
Valerie had great pride in her pioneer families and their role in Colac history. Her second name of Farndale commemorated Matthew and Hannah Farndale who settled near Birregurra during the 1850s. One of their grandchildren, Marion Martin, was to marry into another early Colac family, the Sitlingtons. In 1887 this newly married couple, who would become the grandparents of Bronwen and Valerie, moved into the house, St Martin?s, at the corner of Gravesend Street which has remained the family home. It has been hard for the sisters to leave there and it has been maintained during their time in Corangamarah.
Despite an interesting and successful career, family has been the dominant theme in Valerie?s life. The public announcement of her birth in April 1921 was not published in the Melbourne papers until 20 July that year, so that it appeared in the same edition of the paper which carried an ?In memoriam? notice for her uncle, Alec Sitlington, who had been killed in July 1916 in the Battle of Fromelles. There were ever-present reminders of Alec?s death in the house in Gravesend Street. Valerie?s grandmother lived there and constantly mourned her son. An ?In Memoriam? notice for him was published each year until the 1950s. Richard Bassett, the father of Valerie and her older sister Bronwen, had enlisted for World War 1 on the same day as Alec and they had shared some of the theatres of war. Anzac day was a solemn day in the Bassett household, where reminders of Alec?s life remain on display to this day. An important feature of a visit to Europe with Bronwen was a visit Alec?s grave in France. In 2005, at a commemoration the 90th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli, Valerie gave a talk at a meeting hosted by the Colac Historical Society outlining the contributions of her father and uncle to the conflict. Then in 2010 she and Bronwen made available to the historical society all the letters which her father and uncle had sent home during the war. Members of the society were able to compile a book about these two Colac soldiers? experiences in World War 1, and the launching of this book marked one of Valerie?s last appearances at a public event.
That was a solemn backdrop for happier aspects of family life. Her father Richard Bassett became a newspaper reporter and later editor of the Colac Herald. Her mother Irene was a milliner with a great sense of style. Her only sister, Bronwen, was 19 months older and the family was close. One of Valerie?s early jobs was working in a jeweller?s shop Colac, and in later years she was surprised to think back and realise that as teenager she would be left in charge of the shop, and all its contents, while her employer went home to lunch. Her employer was clearly a good judge of character! She later did office work in Colac.
The family was musical and had fine voices and they were in demand at local concerts. During World War 2 Bronwen and Valerie were part of a Wesley choral group which sang at fund raising events. Valerie was blessed with golden voice and successes at South Street, starting in 1945, led to her engagement with opera companies which toured Australia and New Zealand in 1948-9 and 1950. Valerie had a range of roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas they performed. She did this with pleasure and an acceptance of her gift, and never with undue pride. Her anecdotes of the New Zealand tour with the Gilbert and Sullivan company were never about herself, but likely to hilarious anecdotes of the company as it travelled around the country by special train.
In the early 1950s came a trip to Europe, and one enduring and sparkling memory was of seeing the Queen on the way to the coronation. On her return in May 1953 she was interviewed by a reporter from The Age newspaper, and commented on advice given her by an Italian singing teacher.
She applied for a job with a city firm, Clarke Rubber, and rose to become Finance Director of the business, one of the first women in Australia to be named as a company director. Her executive office looked out over Flinders Street and she also enjoyed, as well as the work itself, business travel to Europe. After her retirement from Clarke Rubber she remained alert, working as needed for a public accounting firm.
Valerie had an active social life in Melbourne, but despite the apartment in East Melbourne and the striking modern house she had built at Lorne, it was to the family home in Gravesend that she chose to retire, where she and Bronwen remained until recently. She and Bronwen shared a love of animals and the pampered cats were a feature of their home. Family friends would be called upon when it was necessary to inter a cat which had passed away, I believe a role which, in one case at least, passed from father to son.
Valerie remained generous in sharing her talent and delight in song. After her return to live in Colac she joined the Colac Chorale, and a statement from Pam Radcliffe of that group, who was also Valerie?s willing accompanist at engagements in Colac, says much. I quote: Valerie's musical career took her to great heights overseas as well as in Australia, but she never was one to sing her own praises'. She happily and graciously shared her wonderful talent whenever asked. When she joined the Colac Chorale she was happy to be "just one of the altos" and blended in beautifully, just as one would expect of her.
Members of the Chorale have their own very special memories of Valerie 's time with us.
Valerie joined other groups too. The family interest in the historical society, of which her parents were founding members, was maintained. She was a guest speaker and contributed information about the lives of her Colac ancestors, particularly, on one occasion speaking about the Farndales and Martins of Birregurra. One highlight was being interviewed by the press for information about the history of the land formerly owned by her mothers? family, which was to become the Sitlington Car Park, in Bromfield Street, Colac.
Members of a discussion group to which we both belonged are not alone in sharing memories of her dramatic entrances to meetings ? frequently late, seldom repentant but always with immense presence. The room would light up when she entered. She dressed well and in a striking manner, often in clothes she had designed and made herself and with accompanying costume jewellery. She had immense charm and people seemed pleased to have to help her. On more than one occasion she set off in that beautiful sleek red Jaguar car but became lost. There was always an absolutely charming man who appeared from somewhere and rescued her - with apparent pleasure.
Valerie used her gifts generously to bring beauty and joy to people?s lives. She inspired affection and loyalty in those who knew her. We note particularly the loss of a friend of Heather and Ida, two other 90-year-olds who shared much of Valerie?s journey.
We will all miss her being amongst us.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1921 - 2013 (92 years)
(Age 82 years)