Bohemia Village Voice

Goodbye to Mabel, aged 85 – Roger Sweetman remembers his ‘eccentric friend’.

I first met Mabel Stringfellow soon after I became a member of the Stables Theatre and often joined her for a ploughman’s lunch in the bar there on a Saturday.  Mabel was Secretary of the Stables Trust (1984-2000) and she asked me if I would become her minute secretary at management meetings as this would enable her to take a full part in proceedings.  I found myself saying yes – it was difficult to say no to Mabel. One of her duties was the Stable Newsletter and she always ensured an interesting edition which was out on time. Mabel was usually brightly dressed and often wore a hat and usually a smile, and when the theatre stopped their lunches she became a welcome regular at the First In Last Out in the High Street.
After stepping down as secretary, Mabel still remained an avid supporter of the theatre and had been a patron of the Phoenix Theatre Musical Group for many years. She always jumped at an offer to visit the theatre and I enjoyed several trips to Lewes’ Little Theatre with her.  A visit to the theatre with Mabel could be an intense experience as one felt she was there on the stage with the performers, sometimes even responding to the utterances and the actions of the actors. She always smiled when I spoke of her as an eccentric friend and we enjoyed much laughter together even during her last few weeks in the hospice.  Mabel loved people and to know her was to like her. She greatly valued the friends she made.
Her interests were varied. A lover of birds she was a member of the RSPB, she was also interested in the countryside and looked forward to her visits to the South of England Show.  A volunteer with the Friends of the Conquest, I have been served by Mabel on several occasions when she was working in the hospital shop.  
I knew little of her working life so I am indebted to others for this information. Mabel was deeply involved with public service, as secretary to the chief executive of the community health council and later in a similar capacity to the Governors of St Leonards C of E Primary School.  In later years she worked in a secretarial capacity for Gladys Stewart and particularly with Gladys’ work with MS. I will miss seeing her around and propping up the Stables bar after a performance with Mabel enjoying her favourite tipple, Famous Grouse.  Mabel brought a little joy into many people’s lives.
                                       Roger Sweetman

o Mabel died in June 2009. A service was held at St Augustine’s Chapel on Friday 3 July with a eulogy by Margaret Ross and tributes by Gladys Stewart, and by Chris Lacey, former chair of the Stables Theatre.