Carol Eaton - A Tribute

We are sorry to announce the passing of our dear friend Carol Eaton after a short illness. We met Carol and her partner Gerald Lobb, twenty years ago through our local friendly car club, in Devon. We spent many summer car events together, becoming good friends. When we first met Gerald he would bring one of his Austin’s to the rallies and we would drive our 1947 Standard 8.
Carol who was the Devon Vintage Car Clubs magazine editor, a job she had held for over 20 years, even organised our holidays and trips away around her publishing deadlines. Gerald had been a club member, serving on the committee, for 40 years and his memories of previous members, their cars, and club events was always interesting to hear.

When Gerald bought himself a Standard 10 1961 Pickup truck, our friendship grew stronger, as now they could join the Devon group on our Standard rally trips. Over the years these trips were enjoyed by many members from Devon, but Carol and Gerald were always a constant. When Gerald sold his Standard he would attend in his 1935 Austin 12. Carol did say it was a more comfortable ride than the Pick up.

The Devon group holidays were also quite active and we enjoyed holidays to Wales, Yorkshire and the New Forest and of course our mini “holidays”, as we called them, to the Standard Internationals.

As these events were generally held in and around the Midlands, we tended to allow a day to travel in order to arrive in time for the start of the weekends events on a Friday lunchtime. This might mean we would have time to enjoy a visit to a National Trust property on the way to our overnight accommodation.

We’ve been attending the Standard rallies ourselves, since camping at Binton and it was great to travel in convoy with like minded people. We’ve stayed in some great B&B’s and hotels over the years, enjoying an evening meal together and a relaxed breakfast before arriving fresh for the weekend.

One of Chris’s and my favourite memories from these weekends was the visit to Shakespeare’s Mothers home. We had arrived early, with Carol and Gerald, even before the organisers and entered into this medieval world, populated by staff re-enacting the jobs of medieval times. We enjoyed so many laughs that day, including finding out that Gerald was in fact cursed by the Devil for being left-handed. (Something we liked to remind him of). Needless to say we were also the last Standard cars to leave.

Carol and Gerald were always good company, enjoying the same things we loved, like Steam trains, gardens, Stately homes and of course museums of all types, including both cars and motorbikes.


Carol was a big part of our lives and we will all miss her dreadfully, but hopefully Gerald will be still attending with the Devon group.

Regards

Linda Bowden xx

Carol & Gerald's Standard 10 Pick-up.

Carol with Gerald on one of their Train trips.