{"id":3015,"date":"2022-05-20T08:30:13","date_gmt":"2022-05-20T08:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/?p=3015"},"modified":"2022-05-20T09:42:09","modified_gmt":"2022-05-20T09:42:09","slug":"evelyn-bendy-a-white-lady-at-burton-bradstock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/2022\/05\/20\/evelyn-bendy-a-white-lady-at-burton-bradstock\/","title":{"rendered":"Evelyn Bendy: A \u2018White Lady\u2019 at Burton Bradstock"},"content":{"rendered":"

Miss Harriette Evelyn Bendy (1877 \u2013 1961) was, for around 20 years in the mid 20th<\/sup> century, a member of the community founded just outside Burton Bradstock by Miss Adela Marion Curtis<\/a>.\u00a0 She was known as Sister Evelyn and she and other members of the Christian Contemplatives Charity (CCC) were nicknamed \u2018The White Ladies\u2019 because of the flowing white robes they wore.\u00a0 Recent research has focussed on Sr Evelyn\u2019s time in the community, drawing on unpublished papers, family reminiscences, photos and newspaper articles…<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

In 1930, Miss Curtis, the Warden and founder of the first community to live in the house and grounds now looked after by the Othona Community, was advertising for people to come and join her \u2018Bible Students\u2019 Colony\u2019.\u00a0 A year later, she wrote in her Day Book that she had received a number of enquiries.\u00a0 Among these she particularly mentioned,<\/p>\n

\u2018Miss Bendy another new one, has taken [the] End Hut for a year to practise self support on the land.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Miss Curtis’ Day Book for 1931. Used with permission by Jeremy Jay.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The life offered to those joining the \u2018Colony\u2019 was to be a combination of learning in meditation and growing food on the land with the intention of being self-sufficient.<\/p>\n

Evelyn Bendy had grown up in London with her widowed mother and two brothers.\u00a0 By 1930 she was living in Cardiff, not far from her younger brother Wilfred, an electrical engineer who was married with two sons, Alan and John.\u00a0 In the 1980s, John wrote his reminiscences of visiting\u00a0 Evelyn at the community in the early 1930s:<\/p>\n

\u2018At the bottom of a steeply sloping path we found \u2018End Hut\u2019 which had been Aunty Evelyn\u2019s home for over two years.\u00a0 We had a joyful reunion and were shown around the premises \u2013 a process which required very little time.\u00a0 The door at the east end opened into a small living room, and at the far end was an even smaller bedroom.\u00a0 No kitchen; no bathroom; no running water; no gas; no electricity.\u00a0 The toilet was a bucket, plus a box of soil parked in a little tent outside.\u00a0 Cooking and lighting were by paraffin, and extra heating in the winter was by hot water bottles of great variety.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Sr Evelyn with Beth and John Bendy beside a car. Used with permission by the Bendy family.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alan trained in horticulture and at the end of 1938 joined the community as head gardener.\u00a0 Sr Evelyn moved into the main house so that Alan could live in the End Hut. Miss Curtis noted in her diary for 1 January 1939,<\/p>\n

\u2018Same day Alan Bendy arrived as resident gardener & student, to live in End Hut, dine daily at Community House, attend lectures & noon and evening services & draw salary of 37\/6 a week.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Entry in Miss Curtis’ Diary for 1939. Used with permission by Jeremy Jay.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

—<\/p>\n

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Alan Bendy in RAF uniform. Permission given to use image by the Bendy family.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

War broke out in September 1939 and in 1940 Alan joined the RAF.\u00a0Sadly he was reported missing in April 1941 on a flight over the North Sea.\u00a0 On hearing the tragic news, Sr Evelyn wrote to Alan\u2019s mother and brother John, expressing her heartfelt sorrow and at the same time,<\/p>\n

\u2018 I can rejoice that our dear lad is lifted up out of the turmoil and filth of war. His hands are saved from the horror of killing his fellow men, & he made his sacrifice consciously & willingly\u2026 Let us thank God that he gave you so sweet a son & me so dear a Godson. Yes, we can bear it & carry on.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n