Obituary Phyllis Houlton (1921-2015)

It is inevitable that as organizations change and mature the contributions made by earlier members might be forgotten or not be known to more recent ones. We do not wish this to happen to the memory of Phyllis who died in July 2015. Phyllis attended the National Society’s Training College of Domestic Subjects based in Hampstead, but evacuated to Bournemouth during World War II. She became Head of Domestic Science in a school in Northern Ireland and on retirement came to live in Settle. As her obituary notice in the Craven Herald records ‘She loved the outdoors, especially the Yorkshire Dales’. This is borne out by her long-standing involvement with the Trust. She wrote about a Footpath Planning Group in 1994 encouraging NCHT members to help resolve any problems of access or obstructions to public footpaths. She was a driving force in the idea of monthly Sunday afternoon walks and she led winter walks reported in the Journals in 1994 and 1999. The idea was an opportunity to meet up with other members. The walks were a monthly highlight and very well attended - there were not as many walking groups around as there are now and everyone was younger. From 1993 to 1995 she was a committee member and sub-committee convenor for footpaths. In 1997 she was elected a Vice-President, an honour extant up to the time of her death. As a result of her background as part of a local farming family, she was able to augment the information given by the leaders of Sunday walks, and for many years provided a contribution to the food at the Christmas Party held at Harden. She also provided generous hospitality to a multitude of Sunday walkers after each December walk, when we enjoyed mince pies and hot drinks together at her home in Settle. In later years she obliged us by delivering Journals and Newsletters during the year and maintaining important personal contact with members.

She told friends: ‘If you hear I have died, it’s a mistake’.