Millicent Jane LIVEING [467]

  General Notes:

Millicent was a twin.

She served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service which was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War. It was formed on 9 September 1938, initially as a women's voluntary service, and existed until 1 February 1949, when it was merged into the Women's Royal Army Corps.

She was a volunteer at Gifford House Worthing

Millicent Jane Liveing.
25^th December 1919 - 6^th April 2009.
Millie was a very private person always discreet, warm and friendly. With her Sister Norah an identical twin, they wore similar clothes, they had similar voices and frequently were mixed up when addressed. They were inseparable and enjoyed each other's company.
Millie and Nora were educated at St Anthony's Convent in Mill Hill, North London, and lived at Hendon. After their time at school, Millie decided to go to Berridge House for a one-year domestic science course. Throughout her life, she never lost the technique of cooking a scrumptious meal. A family friend advised Millie and Nora to join the bank, Millie was offered a place in the City office of Lloyds and Nora offered a place with Martin's in High Holborn. Millie was appointed to the Securities Department of the bank and enjoyed her work and the business of dealing with client's securities and her managers. She was popular with her staff and throughout her time in Lombard Street, never moved from the Securities Department.
After four years, war interrupted her life and she was called up in 1942 and joined the ATS. She was stationed in Hampshire on the south coast with and RA SC Transport Company and with her bank experience was made Pay Sergeant. After being demobbed, she immediately returned to Lloyds Bank and went back to the same office with the same managers and was welcomed back as if nothing had changed. In 1949, Norah married and went to live in Ireland. Millie found herself lonely but joined the Challoner Club, a Catholic organisation, and for the next few years volunteered to be a helper with the sick and infirm at Lourdes each year, giving up a week of her holiday. She also enjoyed rambling with friends of the Challoner Club.
In 1954, the family moved to Worthing. That meant a long journey from West Worthing to London Bridge every day but she was happy to do that rather than change jobs and it also meant she was content to stay with the Securities Department which she enjoyed.
Father died in 1963 and his car was now lying idle and so Millie took her driving test and passed at the first attempt. This allowed mother and Millie to go to church together and also to do the shopping at weekends. Millie continued to use her bike to and from the station each day but mother, with her advancing years found it difficult to cope at home with Millie away twelve hours a day. Millie continued to put mother first and reluctantly, in 1968, had to call it a day with the Securities Department of Lloyds Bank in the City. Everyone at the bank was so sorry to see her depart as she was so popular with her colleagues. So that she could be near at home with mother, Millie was appointed to the Registrar's Department in Lloyds Bank in Worthing.
Mother died in 1972 and the house in Worthing was left for Millie to spend time in the garden and making some improvements in the house. Millie enjoyed the hydrangeas, roses, geraniums and fuchsias and always kept the lawns neat and shipshape. She was able to spend more time in the garden when she retired from Lloyds Bank in 1976 after 38 years dedicated service.
The house was always kept neat and tidy and Millie looked forward to meeting members of the family. She was always very welcoming to anyone who stayed at Offington Drive. She could never do enough for anyone who stayed with her - and her cooked breakfasts were legendary. She loved all her nieces and nephews and showed great interest in everything they were doing. She particularly enjoyed when they whisked her out for Sunday lunch to a local restaurant where she could have "something gooey" for pudding.
Nora died in 1996 and this was a great blow. Never had a year gone by without Millie and Nora seeing each other and catching up with their news they were always very close.
Millie used to go to the parish church in Worthing and for twenty years cleaned all the High Altar brass candlesticks and other brass items. That took about 4 hours on a Sunday once a fortnight - a good example of her selflessness and dedication to the church.
Milly also used to be a frequent visitor to Guildford house in Worthing it was an ex-serviceman's care home and she produced the teas at the weekend and washed up. Her discreet, warm and friendly manner must have had such a positive impact because one kind patient even left a small legacy for Millie in his will.
Throughout her life, she was blessed in not having to see a doctor until the last ten years. However arthritis progressed quite rapidly in her legs and she was becoming more incapacitated as the weeks went by. She was in danger of falling and chose to "shut the shop" as she put it.
Millie elected to go to Winton house in Windsor so that she could be nearer to the family. She was always so grateful when any of the nieces and nephews were able to visit her. Her memory was sharp and she was great company when she recounted her days at Lloyds, or during the war or her visits to the family in Ireland. She was never without a weekly visit from one of the family and a kind parishioner bought her Holy Communion from Church each week.
At the end there was no fuss - Millie would have been very happy that there was no fuss - and she died peacefully in her sleep.
I pray that God will find a place for her soul in heaven.

20 April 2009
John Liveing.