Our fourth village personality is not featured because of a remarkable life or special claim to fame. True she is one of the few ladies living in the parish who can remember married life in the village before World War II, but Beryl Woollard would probably be the first to say that she has led an ordinary life like so many of her contemporaries.

One of a family of six girls and three boys, Beryl Coote, as she was then, came into the world in the year the Great War started, so it doesn't take long to work out how old she is now. Although she has lived in Wood Ditton since she married in 1936 and was actually born in the parish, her family moved to Cowlinge (pronounced Coolinge by the locals) when she was only six months old. Father had taken a job as farm foreman at Branches Park, then owned by the Tonge family, so Beryl grew up and went to school in the village of Cowlinge and lived there until she married.

In the years before World War II the possession of a motorbike gave a young man the great advantage of mobility and also impressed the girls. That is how Beryl came to meet her husband Ernie, one of the several families of Woollards living in Wood Ditton. Ernie and his mate Jack Holland visited Cowlinge and made dates with Beryl and her sister Alice, arranging to meet at the old Kingsway cinema in Newmarket. In due course Ernie married Beryl and Jack married Alice and so both sisters came to Wood Ditton, where they have lived ever since.
Beryl and Ernie moved into a rented cottage in Maypole Lane Little Ditton, then one of four adjoining cottages, and in 1937 Beryl's son Tony was born. She soon became active in the village and in 1939 was one of the founder members of the Wood Ditton & Saxon Street branch of the Women's Institute, its first president being Diana Watson, wife of the then vicar, the Revd. Ambrose Maryon Watson M.A.

War came and Ernie, a carpenter by trade, joined the army in 1941 and served overseas, including some time with the 8th Army in North Africa. Wives left behind had to struggle on with house and family with only the modest service wife's allowance, so Beryl took a job as soon as Tony could be left. She worked with trainer Basil Jarvis's family through the war and this usually meant cycling to Newmarket every day although she and Tony lived in while the Jarvis family were away.

Ernie survived the war and in 1946 returned to take up once more his trade of carpentry. Beryl continued working in a variety of jobs, including work for a Newmarket veterinary surgeon, several years at The Scotch Tea Rooms and more at Wood Ditton's Eve Stud, which was then managed by trainer Noel Murless.

Back in 1941 Ernie and Beryl had taken the opportunity of buying their cottage together with the three adjoining ones, all of which were in a poor state. By 1965 all three cottages had become vacant and Tony, who had inherited his father's skills, was able to tackle a range of building work so the family decided to undertake major alterations. Two of the cottages were knocked down and the remaining two turned into one. Tony who had married Ann in 1968, had moved into a new house he had built in Maypole Lane so Beryl and Ernie now lived in their newly converted cottage. Sadly Ernie had not many years to enjoy the products of his and his son's hard work, as he died in 1973.

In 1994 Tony built a fine new annexe where the two old cottages had been demolished, and Beryl moved into this new part while Tony and Ann moved back into the old. So now Beryl lived in her own accommodation but close to her son and daughter-in-law.

Today 'Eastern Cottage' looks like one large cottage but is really two separate but connected abodes, a charming mix of old and new, overlooking open fields towards Saxon Street. Beryl, Tony and Ann love their gardens which have an old English cottagey look about them.
Beryl finally gave up regular work in 1983 but she has continued as a pillar of village society. As the only surviving founder member of the Wood Ditton & Saxon Street W.I. she is still an enthusiastic and supportive member of the branch, which unlike some others continues to thrive and attract new members. You can bet that Beryl will be in the forefront of any activities organized by the W.I., whether it be good causes, outings, entering competitions or cake making. She is also a Bingo fan and seems to be remarkably lucky at winning prizes. At home she enjoys her garden, cooking, jam and chutney making, knitting and keeping her cottage and her ornaments in sparkling condition.

So what is it that makes Beryl liked by all who know her? Her kindness, cheerfulness and obvious enjoyment of life are part of the answer, but above all she demonstrates the true meaning of a lady, not defined by birth, wealth or position but by her manner, appearance and dignified behaviour.

Beryl at the Wood Ditton & Saxon Street W.I. Garden Party, 1st August 2001.

Other village Personalities
No 2 - Freda Swann
No 3 - Jack & Doris Scrivener
No 5 - Sepp and Daphne Krombacher
No 7 - Ivor & Iris Brown
No 8 - Roy & Jill Steggles
No 9 - Derrick & Veronica Aspland
No 10 - The Revd. Ann Gurner
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