Oh to be A Bishop's Daughter

In 1971 my father The Right Reverend Kenneth John Woollcombe became the youngest Bishop Of Oxford at the age of 47 and we came to live at Bishop's House, Cuddesdon, opposite the Theological College, next to Bishop's Wood.
On March 3rd of this year ( 2008) he died after a long illness at the age of 84.
The Times wrote in his obituary "Scholarly clergyman who rose to be a capable, effective and popular Bishop Of Oxford". I quote "He also had an enormous gift for friendship. He gave support and often spiritual direction to many throughout his life."

Whilst we lived at Cuddesdon, life was not so easy for us, the young family. Me and my two sisters were teenagers and had been used to living in the centre of Edinburgh. My elder sister, Meg, went to boarding school in The Lake District but Fran and I attended what was then Holton Park Grammar school in Wheatley (it is now known as Wheatley Park School). It was quite a trek back and forth so Mum bought us scooters to get to school and the village life in Wheatley where there was more happening for teenagers.

One memorable occasion was when I first met a local young man from Great Milton, the next village towards Thame, he was part of a large family who had lived in the area for years. His name was Rodney James Glenn, affectionately known as 'Sam'. We met in The Sandpiper pub in Wheatley. Mum had dropped me there one evening as she didn't like me riding the scooter at night. He said he would walk me home - Cuddesdon was more than 2 miles away but he said "Fine!" - he was young and fit. We walked and talked and I fell in love for the very first time. I was worried that he might be put off by the fact that my father was a Bishop so I managed to avoid the subject (his father worked at Pressed Steel Fisher, the local factory in Cowley). We got to the outskirts of the village and he asked "Do you live here?" The first road coming into Cuddesdon from Wheatley is a street of council houses. I said "No". We then passed Bishop's Wood, a group of very large privately owned properties and he asked,looking a little perturbed,"Do you live here then?" I said "No". We then passed the Theological College on the right and the main entrance to Bishop's House but I was too scared to take him to the front of the house because although the property is no longer a palace it is a very large house standing on several acres of ground with a chapel beside it. I thought he might find it a bit overpowering! So I took him to the rear entrance where in Church Close there is a small row of modern houses designed originally for the Bishop's staff. One for the Chaplin, one for the housekeeper, one for the gardener. He said "Oh are you the Bishop's gardener's daughter?" I replied "No". "The housekeeper's daughter?" Again "No". A little more meekly and with a slight tremble "You're NOT the Chaplin's daughter are you?" At this moment I squeaked and pointed to the rear entrance of Bishop's House! I had to finally confess "No, I'm afraid I live up there!" "So YOU are the BISHOP"S DAUGHTER!" As I answered "Yes" his face nearly dropped a mile. He said he would see me around and I thought that would be the end of it! In fact we held down a four year relationship and spent many happy times together.

There were also some sad memories of living in Cuddesdon. My mother, Gwendoline Rhona Vyvien Woollcombe, was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 1976. She died within 6 months. She was a very popular Bishop's wife and almost 900 people attended her funeral in Christchurch Cathedral. She is buried in Cuddesdon churchyard next to the surgeon James Scott and a young man who befriended my father after Mum died by the name of Peter Hutchins. Their graves are small square shaped blocks beside the back door which leads from Bishop's house to the church.

Another tragedy, that I really only remember reading about years later when I saw our house(Bishop's House) on the front page of one of the daily newspapers, was some dispute going on as to whether or not Anne Diamond, the TV presenter, who subsequently lived there when the house was given up as a Bishop's residence, could have her child, who died a cot death in 1991, buried in the grounds. I have no idea what the outcome was.

On a lighter note The pub in Cuddesdon ,'The Bat and Ball', became one of our favourite haunts and the owners  back in the 70's were a couple called 'Twink' and Brian Maycock. The place has changed much over the years but still serves extremely good 'pub grub' and I believe now has gone a little more up market with some fine dining.

When my youngest daughter,Caroline, was born she had a plagiocephaly and required major surgery to correct it. By that time we were living in Scotland but one of the best cranio facial units in the country is at The Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford. We arrived in Oxfordshire in the Easter of 1992 to stay with friends Dave and Cathy Glenn at Ickford. The day before her surgery we had her christened at the hospital chapel and then had a Christening lunch at The Bat and Ball.

The surgery, performed by a Professor Mike Poole, was a great success and apart from a long scar from ear to ear under her hair line, she is fine. Before her surgery I went to Cuddesdon church to say some prayers. It's a beautiful church and is a wonderful place to pray.

So, I have many memories of living in Cuddesdon: garden parties on the lawn, croquet, fantastic tomatoes from the greenhouse lovingly cultivated by our gardener David Claremont. Standing by the big Aga in our kitchen chatting to Mum. The pretty cottages and the wisteria growing around the doors. Michael Ramsey, a previous Archbishop of Canterbury, living opposite us with his wife Joan.
Perhaps I should write a book?
Philippa