Evelyn Flowers - 1

1 October 1930 - 14 June 1979

Evelyn Flowers was a teacher of music. She was a very attractive and elegant lady with a lovely personality. She was extremely popular with both the boys and the girls. A very professional teacher, she could create an interest in music, all types of music, within the most ardent "rock and roll" fan. Below is a tribute in the form of a biography, written by her brother Ronald Flowers. Ron was two years Evelyn's junior and still misses her very much.

Evelyn Flowers was the eldest of four children. She lived at 2 Amersham Avenue, N18 (named Halsbury Road at that time). She went to Silver St infants, then Haselbury Rd school. At age 11 she attended Latymer School in Edmonton and, at age 18, she went to Goldsmiths College to gain her teachers diploma. After that she spent the whole of her life teaching in Tottenham and Brent Cross. Sadly, Evelyn died in 1979 after a long battle with breast cancer. She was married to Leslie Reynolds, a Latymerian schooldays sweetheart. They had no children.

Evelyn Flowers Her mother encouraged all four children to study music. Evelyn had private piano lessons from a Miss Malpas in Edmonton until about age 12 and then went to Mabel Floyd, a very well known and respected teacher in Pembury Road, Tottenham. She passed the usual Associated Board of Music exams up to Grade 8 whilst at Latymers and gained the LRAM teaching diploma soon afterwards. She was a very capable pianist of course, and won many competitive festivals around North London. At Goldsmiths she also took singing lessons and was later a much sought after soprano in the Risley operatic society, Tottenham.

After her marriage, Evelyn lived first at 175 The Avenue, N17, and then in Cat Hill, Barnet until her death. She loved her teaching, both at school and through private piano teaching.

A comment from Bob Benbow

It was Evelyn Flowers who encouraged the most unlikely crew of lads and lassies to perform Gilbert & Sullivan's HMS Pinafore. I have never met anyone before or since, with such a natural ability to develop and nurture talent, especially in those who thought they had none. To this day so many people have Evelyn to thank for what has become their lifelong interest in music and singing. It was a tragedy that such colossal ability was lost so early to cancer.

And another from Stephen Nyman

I attended the school reunion in October, which was a wonderful, momentous occasion. But it was tinged with an overwhelming moment of personal sadness when I learned of the passing of Miss Evelyn Flowers. Having left school half a lifetime ago, in 1965, it shouldn't be a surprise that, life being what it is, there are going to be losses, especially in the older generation, namely the teachers. But to learn of Miss Flowers death at such a young age, as long ago as 1979, was very upsetting.

Apart from my first form teacher, Miss Quass in 1960, Miss Flowers was the first teacher I can remember. Her personality and good looks made a great impression on a shy young boy. Music lessons were eagerly looked forward to and enjoyed. Strangely enough I could never manage to read music, but that was down to an inability of mine to grasp the mettle. In other words I was thick! What she did manage to achieve was to bring out the singer in me. The first thing she did was to rope me into the school choir. That helped my confidence and after that came the school productions of H.M.S. Pinafore, Trial By Jury, Die Fledermaus and others. I still sing today, at my local pub on occasions, and this is all down to Miss Flowers who instilled in me confidence and an everlasting love of ALL types of music. Bob Benbow, in his obituary to her, rightly said she was an inspiration to so many of us.

Rest in peace Miss Evelyn Flowers, I will carry your memory for the rest of my life.