Jean Overton Fuller
1915 – 2009
W R I T E R -
These projects were organised by her neighbour, Brian Capell and funds were raised
by her local friends and supporters.
W Y M I N G T O N R E M E M B E R S
My husband Martin and I are quite keen photographers and when the weather's nice
we can usually be found out and about Northamptonshire photographing events, buildings
and of course the fabulous scenery. One quiet sunny Sunday afternoon found us in
Wymington -
As I was waiting for Martin to take his last few pictures I spotted this sweet, and slightly batty looking, old lady walking along the middle of the road towards me. She was bent over and seemed to be miles away, as if deep in thought, I don't think she even saw me as she drew level and then walked past me.
What intrigued me was the fact that she was being so closely followed by a little black cat, they were clearly inseparable with a deep bond like a witch and her familiar. I watched spellbound as they walked down the hill and then turned left into a narrow lane. I remember the lady was wearing an old pink floral dress/coat with her greying petticoat hanging down below her hemline at the back.
When it came to painting the lady I felt compelled to give her a vibrant coloured coat, one far more suitable to the vibe she was giving off and as violet is a mystical colour that was the obvious choice. That old lady felt magical which was why I took the liberty of giving her a witch's shadow. I was absolutely staggered when I pinned the picture up in the library and she was immediately recognised as a local writer, artist and mystic; the wonderfully eccentric Miss Jean Overton Fuller.
My one big regret is that I didn't stop Jean and have a chat -
www.dawntebbutt.daportfolio.com
On 19th January 2012, a memorial bench was set next to the bus stop where Miss Fuller would wait to catch the Stagecoach 51 bus into Rushden.
Sunday June 23rd 2013, to coincide with the “supermoon”, when the full moon is at its closest and its largest of the year, a plaque was erected at Steep House, Wymington, Jean Overton Fuller’s former home.
Hearts and Soles is an excellent local history website about Rushden, Northamptonshire, a former shoe trade industry town. There are links to information about the surrounding villages and THIS PAGE is dedicated to Jean Overton Fuller. It includes a lovely piece of reminiscence by Miss Fuller’s Wymington neighbour, Stella Reynolds.
FAMILIAR by Dawn Tebbutt
Steep House, Wymington
With a chicken
