9 April 1928 – 24 July 2021

Little is known about Patricia’s time at St Swithun’s (or Carol Patricia Benita as she was formerly).

However, her daughter Annabel was able to tell us about how Patricia once received a tap on her shoulder from the person in the seat behind, whilst watching a film at the cinema in Winchester. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of her teachers and Patricia was expelled from school!

On returning home, she was put to work in the dairy on the estate at her home, Preshaw Manor. The farm men had gone to fight in the war and so Patricia milked the pedigree Jersey dairy herd there early every morning and then churned butter and cream for the main house and farm cottages. She loved doing it and was happier on the farm than she had been at school!

Patricia met her future husband Thomas Michael Blake when she was 16 and he was some 16 years her senior. After a period of time spent in London at ‘The Monkey Club’ (an exclusive finishing school for young ladies in London), she married Michael in 1947 and they went on to have 3 daughters, 7 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

After the war and when Michael had left the Navy, they bought a farm in West Meon to run.

Patricia successfully bred and showed Welsh Mountain ponies, winning championships at important shows. She was highly esteemed for her Lippens Stud Welsh Mountain section A ponies.

Patricia is pictured below receiving a bouquet of flowers from headmistress Jane Gandee at Old Girls’ Day in 2019 in honour of her being the most senior St Swithun’s Old Girl at the time.