Daphne Ellis was a very early member of Torridge U3A. The U3A meant a great deal

to her, to such an extent that when she died in 2004 she left a substantial legacy to

Torridge U3A. This legacy has formed the capital reserve of our U3A and the

amount that is currently unused is invested in an ethical bank. Our U3A owes

Daphne a great debt and it is appropriate to keep her memory alive.

As the years have progressed there are only a few current members who personally

remember Daphne, in the light of this, Audrey Button has recorded these personal

memories.

'Daphne Ellis was a member of the first U3A Art Group which was set up in Bideford

in approximately 1984-5, which is when I first met Daphne. We met in the old Art

School building next to Bideford Post Office. Daphne was a very enthusiastic and

sociable member of the group. She invited several of us to paint in her house and

garden. (It was the ‘White House’ at the top of the hill on the road from Bideford

going down to the quay at Appledore. It no longer exists and several houses have

been built on that site).

I don’t remember how many times we went there, but I chose to paint in the house,

because I wanted to try my hand at painting some of Daphne’s super collection of

copper items. These paintings are on the wall in my house so you see that for thirty

years Daphne Ellis has not been far from my mind.

The Trustees wish to thank Audrey for these delightful memories and for the images

of Daphne’s copper items entitled, ‘Studies of Copper’. (Water colour 13” x 10”,

1988)