Elizabeth Bower came to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society, relatively late in her life after she retired, but swiftly became one of the Society’s most indispensable volunteers.
After graduating from St Hugh’s College, Oxford where she studied geography and then gaining a Diploma in Education, Elizabeth’s working life began with three years teaching geography at Northwood College, Middlesex. However, realising that teaching was not what she wanted to do, Elizabeth acquired further qualifications in typing, shorthand and book keeping. What followed was an extraordinarily successful career in university administration, initially at London University and then in April 1960 at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford, where she met her future husband, David. They were married in March 1962. Eighteen months later, David obtained an Assistant Lectureship in the Physics Department at Leeds University and Elizabeth applied for, and was accepted for, the post of Administrative Assistant in the University’s Department of Agriculture. Eight years later, she moved to the School of Dentistry. By then, she had a daughter, Helen, but decided to combine her career with being a mother at a time when this was unusual.
In October 1973, she became Administrative Officer in the School of Dentistry, becoming Assistant Registrar in 1993. Over the years, Elizabeth’s responsibilities developed significantly, particularly in all areas connected with the organisation of the teaching of students. She attended board and committee meetings and took responsibility for publications. She set high standards of administrative efficiency and by the time she became Assistant Registrar, she was responsible to both the Director of Dental Studies and the Postgraduate Dental Dean in the Regional Postgraduate Office. All this required considerable interpersonal skills.
Elizabeth’s retirement in 1995 meant that she had more time to pursue her many interests. These included geology, visiting country houses and recording church interiors. She was Lecture Secretary, then Secretary of the Leeds Decorative and Fine Arts Society, and also became involved with and worked for other societies, particularly the Chippendale Society. It was in this capacity she came to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society in January 1998. For the next 15 years, the Society benefitted from the skills and experience she brought from a long and successful working life. Expressing an interest in maps, Elizabeth started by bringing order out of chaos to the many maps in one of the archive stores at Claremont; in the process of doing this, she checked and updated an extensive catalogue, often working uncomplainingly in somewhat difficult conditions. This work was completed in 2000; Elizabeth was uncertain as to what she would like to do next. By chance Brian Chappelow, another volunteer with experience in book repair, was thinking of starting a small group to undertake repairs. The Society’s Library contained many, often quite recent, books damaged by wear and tear, and there were clearly insufficient funds to receive much professional attention. Elizabeth became a founder member of the Group. She had found her niche. A skilful needlewoman, able to work in meticulous detail, she quickly mastered the basics of what was needed, showing a flair for producing work to the highest standard.
Sadly Brian Chappelow died in September 2005, but Elizabeth agreed to become the Group’s leader. Here she could now call on her inter personal skills and her administrative expertise, as she also became responsible for ordering repair materials, training new recruits and planning the Group’s work and activities in discussion with the Librarians. The Group repaired numerous volumes in the years that followed, saving the Society a great deal of money and ensuring the continued use of books which might otherwise have had to be withdrawn because of their poor condition. By 2013, however, Elizabeth was experiencing some memory problems and decided that she could no longer continue.
In November 2015, she suffered a stroke from which she never recovered. As her husband David has said, it was a sad end to a very fulfilled life.
Email: [email protected]