June Thompson Death, Obituary – This year, the title of “oldest resident” will be held by June Thompson, who, along with Corby’s new Mayor, Cllr. Tafadzwa Chikoto, and the vicar of St. John’s Church, Rev. Paul Frost, will be carried on sedan chairs through the streets at the beginning of the Pole Fair. The procession is known as the “oldest resident” parade. This time-honored custom, which has been practiced at least since the year 1862, is carried out when the fair is being officially started with the reading of the Royal Charter beginning at six in the morning on Friday, June 3rd.
This coming July, June will celebrate her 86th birthday. She was the middle child of 11 children and was given the name June Chapman. She was born in Cock Row. Her grandfather worked as a blacksmith on the High Street, her father served in the Kings Own Regiment in India and then worked as a caretaker at the mine, and her mother was a window cleaner in the 1940s. Her family has a long history of working in the mining industry. June has three children, seven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren despite the fact that she is now a widow.
June has a lot of recollections of her childhood in Corby, ranging from the street party that was held on East Avenue and Oakley Road to celebrate VE day in May 1945 to the social events that were organized by the church for the Pole Fair in 2002. She first attended the Pole Fair in 1947 as an 11-year-old Brownie Guide, then again in 1962 as a member of the winning Tug-of-War team, and finally in 1982 as a member of the church choir.
This year will be her fifth time attending the Pole Fair. She had really positive things to say about the wonderful sense of community that existed in the Old Village during prior fairs, as well as the sense that everyone was a part of a wonderful group of friends.
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