REFLECTIONS IN MEMORY OF A DEAR FRIEND

by Donald Hanby

Helene Schonfield, who died in 12th March, 1979 aged 75,will be lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

My first introduction to Helene was 21 years ago, at Rydal, the Sheffield home of Maurice and Doris Cole. Our hosts and theirfriends had provided accommodation and Quaker hospitality for a weekend gathering of Mondcivitans from Northern England. For many of us this was our first meeting with Hugh and Helene. These were the exciting days following the Constituent Assembly at Cardiff's Temple of Peace and Health in August 1956 in the period leading up to the election of the first Mondcivitan Parliament which assembled at Vienna in May 1959. My first impression of Helene was of a lady of intelligence and charm, with a very sincere interest in people she met, with a warm-hearted and friendly nature which immediately made everyone feel at ease. She was utterly devoted to Hugh and to his vision of a Servant-People.

Only Hugh himself could tell us just how much Helene gave up to put Mondcivitan interests before all others. She performed many tasks, and frequently acted as an unpaid Secretary. Indeed, I am sure she never received any reward for all her many services other than the satisfaction of knowing that, she did her best in every respect. Whenever opinions, might tend to diverge, Helene so often enabled us to see one another's views the better and more charitably by a few timely words. In this sense she was an able and impartial mediator. But she would not hesitate tocome to the defence of anyone whom she felt was in danger of being misrepresented or treated unfairly. She was a champion of the right of everyone to have their say, no matter who they might be. When meetings were over, Helene would be amongst the last to leave, after joining in any tidying up or washing up that had to be done.

She was not without one interest which Hugh did not appear to share, and this was a love of Music. I recall happy occasions when I booked tickets for Helene and other friends to visit the Royal Festival Hall, particularly for concerts of Mahler's works. How we chattered, in competition with passing trains, as we braved the crossing of the Thames by footbridge adjoining Charing Cross Railway Bridge at the end of the concert.

I had moved to London in 1960, where Hugh and Helene became for me virtually another pair of caring parents, especially after the death of my mother. They were not alone in this respect, for I was even more indebted to our dear friend Frieda Bacon.

Visitors were always warmly welcomed, and I recall many happy gatherings, both large and small, first at Hugh and Helene's lovely Queen Anne house in Highgate with the large garden and huge mulberry tree, and later at their flat in Hyde Park Square. On a deeply personal note, I especially recall how I met briefly my future wife when staying at Hugh and Helen's cottage at Tintern in 1964. When I later confided to Helene that I had fallen in love she helped love along by inviting me and my young lady to be their guests for an autumn 'blackberry' weekend at Tintern. My dear wife and I treasure our memories of a visit which brought us closer together, and we were delighted to have Hugh and Helene at our wedding when we were married by Lord Soper in December 1965.

It was while Hugh and Helene had the appropriately named Prospect Cottage, overlooking the River Wye at Tintern that Helene had the idea of serving traditional home-made afternoon teas in the garden. I am sure many visitors to Tintern would remember the charming lady who served their tea and gave them a sincere country welcome.

It is now almost 11 years since I left London to settle in Worcestershire, and in recent years my meetings with Hugh and Helene have become less frequent. In these later years, when Helene already knew that she had a serious illness, she showed great fortitude. Certainly, I never heard a single word of complaint, and despite the advancing years one always felt that Helene retained an air of youthfulness. She remained full of grace, and all of us who loved her will cherish her memory. My very deepest sympathy goes to Hugh and his family in their sad loss.