Pamela Neville: 1932-2023
'A long life of extraordinary service to Christ and the Baptist denomination'
By Morris Munns
I first met Pam in 1965 when I was a student at Spurgeon’s College, and was invited by a fellow student to an ‘open house’ she shared in Gloucester Place. ‘Hospitality’ was a thread running through her whole life.
Born in Dover 4 February 1932 the third of four sisters, she was evacuated to Wales at the start of World War 2 but was reunited with her parents in 1942 in the home that they had set up in South Harrow.
She attended South Harrow Baptist Sunday School and the YPF. She came to faith as a teenager through a Tom Rees evangelistic meeting at nearby Kodak Hall.
This began a long life of extraordinary service to Christ and the Baptist denomination. She was a leading light in the YPF and the BMS Girls’ Auxiliary. When the time came to enter the world of work she had a variety of office jobs amongst them, in Scripture Union’s office.
In 1960 she took a pay cut to start work for the Baptist Missionary Society. Organising BMS Summer Schools she touched the lives of many who found faith and purpose through them.
In 1968 she accepted the invitation to become Domestic Bursar at Spurgeon’s College where she cared for the wellbeing of staff and students for about two years.
After that she responded to the invitation of the Revd Stuart Arnold, with whom she had worked in BMS, and spent a short while living and working in the USA.
Returning to the UK she became PA to the Revd Geoffrey Rusling who had moved from Spurgeon’s to head up the Department of Ministry at the Baptist Union HQ then in London. This was a period of fruitful work and life-long friendship. She and Geoffrey made changes that enabled the better selection, recognition and formation of countless ministries. A huge cohort of students and probationer ministers found in Pam a wise, caring and supportive friend.
Having moved to the BMS flat in 1960 Pam moved membership to Abbey Road Baptist Church where she was to remain for 36 years, 22 as deacon and church secretary. It was at the time of a remarkable development in partnership between the church and Abbey Road Language School, then the only Christian establishment of its type. Many overseas missionary candidates honed their English skills there and were befriended by Pam. It was during this time that she became a founder member of the Baptist Retreat Group and the ecumenical Retreat Association serving as secretary and chair.
On retirement from full-time work, Pam moved to Chippenham and joined the Manvers St. congregation in 1996 and became a deacon, prayer co-ordinator and preaching secretary while continuing her ministry of hospitality to overseas students.
As a child Pam had a life-threatening accident and heart surgery as an adult. In her latter years she struggled with hearing, then memory loss and a number of visits to hospital. Her family gave extraordinary support through these difficulties and her last days were spent in an excellent care home. I last saw her there the day after her 91st birthday, just a few days before she died.
The Revd Andy Percy led a memorial service (planned by herself) on 25 May where many friends and relatives heard Pam’s own testimony read, and tribute was paid by the Revd Paul Mortimore among others. He had worked with her in the Department of Ministry. A recording of the service is available on the church’s website and Soundcloud account.
To our children she was the ‘fun’ Auntie Pam who would organise trips to the zoo or sledging on tea-trays on Primrose Hill.
To the Baptist family, she was one of God’s good gifts.
To hundreds over her lifetime she was organiser, ‘sister’, ‘Mother’, friend, confidant, wise advisor, mentor and a model of faithful, fruitful Christian service.
The Revd Morris Munns