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Ernest
Joyce was born in 1916 in Stamford to a church-going family, his father being a
church organist both in Stamford and in the nearby villages. Ernest first went
to Brazenose School in Stamford and then won a scholarship to Stamford School.
It was here that his love for music and the classics grew; he enjoyed playing
the piano and later the organ. After
school he went to work for the Department of Customs and Excise in London. When
war broke out he enlisted for the Army where he was for a time seconded to the
Royal Marines, later to the Logistics Corps and in bomb disposal; he was
mentioned several times in Dispatches. After the Battle of Monte Cassino, in
which he took part, he was in charge of a POW camp. He left the Army as a
Lieutenant Colonel. Just
before war broke out he had met Joyce Archer and they married in Wisbech,
Joyce’s home, in 1946. After
the Army Ernest and Joyce settled back to life in the Civil Service, during
which time he took a degree in Law, specialising in Roman Law. It was during
this time that Ernest received his call to the priesthood. He went to Chichester
Theological College, was deaconed in 1970 and priested the following year. He
served his title at Holy Spirit, Southsea, later becoming vicar of St Paul’s,
New Southgate, London. From
1977 to 1981 Ernest was the Guild’s Chantry Priest who was very much loved. On
retirement from this he and Joyce remained in Walsingham and came to the Chantry
Mass several times a week. After Joyce’s death in 2003 he continued
worshipping at the Chantry Chapel, arriving in his buggy (which he drove at
great speed!) until illness compelled him to move to the Sue Ryder Home in
Walsingham, where he died on 18th September 2006. Considering
his distinction and achievements in earlier life, he was a man of great humility
and had an eminent kindliness of disposition and is greatly missed. May
he rest in peace. Fr
Geoffrey Miller
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