Canon Peter George Lamont Cole passed peacefully on 8th January 2024 at home in Pulborough, aged 96. Peter’s wife Marian passed away in 2020, and he is survived by his 5 children, 7 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.

Peter was driven by a desire to make the world a better place, and aimed to improve humanity through spreading Christian morals. For example, during his National Service while posted to Kiel just after the war, he was chairman of “Verehrte Verein” a discussion social group of mixed British and Germans with the aim of bringing understanding between Germans and the allies, to encourage the acceptance of democracy.

Mission was important to him with his desire to improve the World. Whilst still a student at Cambridge, he joined the Church Missionary Society and attended missions with the Franciscans at Newcastle and Chester Le Street. He set up the Hop Pickers Mission at his father’s church (Bentley), which continued every Summer for several years, even after his next mission had commenced – with the USPG in Africa where he worked for 10 years.

He was raised traditionally, but encouraged change. While at St Andrews in Bromley he introduced a Family Communion service and trialled a new prayer book. At St Mary & St Eanswythe in Folkestone, he pushed (sadly unsuccessfully) to introduce a central altar to involve the congregation more in the service. He communicated with both the upper crust and with the homeless who would knock on the back door for tea and a sandwich.

He was an intelligent man. In his youth he was awarded a scholarship to Sherborne School, and later won writing competitions. He excelled at chess and Times crosswords. He was inquisitive – interested in what makes things work and always got a thrill talking about new technology and where it would lead us. Yet he was modest, claiming to have an “ordinary” brain. He preferred to read fact rather than fiction, but he wrote a crime novel.

Peter was an innovator. After returning to the UK, in his parishes of St Andrews Bromley, St Mary & St Eanswythe Folkestone and St Mary East Worldham, Peter respected tradition, yet was always looking for better ways to involve his congregations.

He was a communicator, organiser, and leader. The role of Chairman often fell to him, for local organisations and events, school boards, Rotary, etc. For example, he created the Burnt Ash Housing Association which obtained funds and provided flats for 24 elderly parishioners. And we must mention his role as the founding President of the Rother Valley Croquet club. He achieved so much - and we have put more information about his achievements later in this tribute.

Even in retirement Peter used his energies to continue taking services and leading the - now flourishing - Rother Valley Croquet Club. His skills were recognised.

Finally, he was a family man. In partnership with Marian, they raised five children, always leading by example. While always busy, he made sure he had one day per week and three weeks per year for family time. Family holidays invariably involved camping and hiking, often up to the highest peak. At home he taught us to ring hand bells, plus games such as chess, bridge, scrabble and rummy.

Peter will be cremated at Worthing in a private ceremony on Friday 2 February. His ashes will be interred at St Mary East Worldham where he and Marian were married. He will be with his darling Marian and his parents in law Rev George and Joan Knapp (also past incumbents at East Worldham). There will be a public celebration of his life in April, details to be confirmed.

Peter has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to charity instead where the proceeds will be split between Parkinsons UK and the Rother Valley Croquet Club.

A Brief Life history

Peter was born at Ash Rectory in 1927 where his father, Canon George Cole, was Vicar. Peter was educated at Sherborne School, where he developed his interest in the natural World, and the spiritual World.

His finishing at Sherborne coincided with the end of WW2, but Peter was still required to present himself for National Service. An initial 6 month training at Norwich was followed by 9 months at Cambridge when the army sent a group to study at the Faraday Labs. When the professor refused to let them in (fearful of damage to his equipment), Peter and his fellow conscripts were allowed to choose a more classical subject, such as English. He and 4 other new recruits struck up a lifelong friendship - forming ‘the Oracle’. Back into the army after 9 months study, Peter joined the Royal Artillery at Larkhill, officer training at Aldershot and then Kiel in Germany.

On completion of National Service and a short holiday in Canada, Peter returned to Cambridge, Pembroke College to study Theology. While there, Peter continued his rowing and spiritual development.

While at Cambridge, Peter started the Hop-picking Mission at Bentley where his father was Vicar. Through this he got to know Rev George Knapp, Vicar of East Worldham, and his daughter Marian whom he eventually persuaded to be his bride.

His 2 years at Cambridge were followed by 2 more at Cuddesdon Theological College, becoming Deacon in 1952, and Junior Curate at St Michael’s Aldershot for a further 2 years. Finally he was able to marry a very patient Marian Knapp.

Peter and Marian offered to do a 5 year stint of missionary work with the USPG, and headed for Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) shortly after their wedding. In Bulawayo, he was given the task of developing the church in the rapidly growing suburb of Riverside. Initially services were held in the vicarage, until the church was built in the grounds under his management.

This hectic activity coincided with starting a family with all five children born at Riverside. After 5 years, Peter and Marian signed up for a further 5 years, the last two of which were spent at St Stephens College, Balla Balla, where Peter accepted a role as Chaplain.

In 1965, with growing political tensions in Southern Rhodesia and a desire for the children to grow up in England, the family swapped the wilds of Africa for the concrete jungle of outer London suburbia – St Andrew’s Bromley. During his 7 years at Bromley, Peter re-invigorated the Parish magazine (the Burning Bush), increasing its coverage to the majority of its 10,000 parishioners, and set-up the Burnt Ash Housing Association which provided 24 flats for aged parishioners.

In 1972 Peter was inducted as vicar of St Mary and St Eanswythe in Folkestone. It was a ‘high’ church renowned for its choir and ceremonies. It had the rare privilege of having the relics of its patron Saint Eanswythe interred within the church. With the position came many chairman and governor roles in local organisations. While at Folkestone he was made a Canon of Canterbury Cathedral. It was a busy parish and Peter was hoping for a more relaxing parish for his last 5 years before retirement, so he was pleased to be offered the incumbency of East Worldham, West Worldham, Hartley Mauditt, Oakhanger and Kingsley parishes. This was a ‘coming home’ for them as Marian’s father had been vicar at East Worldham, and that was where they were married. Peter was also appointed Rural Dean of Alton whilst at there, following in the footsteps of his father-in-law.

Peter and Marian ‘retired’ to Fittleworth. He continued to take services in various churches in the area and he took great delight in teaching chess to children at the Fittleworth school. Again, he was asked to take on the role of Rural Dean, this time for Petworth. But there was also time for other interests. Retirement was initiated with a world tour catching up with family spread all around the globe. Back at home Peter and Marian put energies into gardening, and started up a small croquet club that developed into the now flourishing Rother Valley Croquet Club. Peter continued his extensive and fascinating family history research as well as developing a passion for cross-stitching (he made cushions for all his children and grandchildren). He migrated from Rotary to Probus - where of course he spent time as President.

The next stage was to downsize to a house in Pulborough with a more manageable garden, which is where Peter and Marian spent their final years being cared for by daughter Pauline and her husband George.

Marian passed away on the first day of the 1st Covid pandemic lock down in the UK, March 24th 2020. Peter is now reunited with her. Here they are at their wedding in 1954:

And more recently at their Diamond Wedding Anniversary in 2014 ( I had previously said it was their Silver anniversary):

Peter has written his 160-page memoir - so this is only a brief extract of his life. Sincere apologies to anyone who was part of his life in an experience that is not mentioned above. There are so many people whose lives he touched in different ways - family, as a friend, co-worker, leader, priest and husband.

Peter would be thrilled if you could make a donation which will be shared between Parkinsons UK and the Rother Valley Croquet Club.

Thank you!

Update on 18th March....

A heartfelt "thank you" to everyone who has donated so far - every one is amazing and your messages are wonderful to read too.

The generosity means I have increased the target!

THANK YOU!!!

Update on 18th April...

Wow - again the target has been surpassed - this is incredible. I am really touched by the generosity and the time you have taken to make the donations and write such lovely messages.

Heartfelt "thank you" to every one of you.

Update on 20th May 2024...

This Just Giving page will close tomorrow, but if anyone missed the boat and would still like to donate then please send a cheque to Dad's address and it will get through to the charities.

You totally blew away my original target of £500. At the moment with this page and other donations there is £1715 to split between the two charities. I think Dad would have been pleased with that!

It was lovely to see so many of you at the Celebration last month. What a fabulous day - full of great, amusing and special memories and stories.

On behalf of my brothers and sisters, thank you again for your generosity in the memory of the man who was our Dad, a Grandad, Great Grandad, Uncle, Vicar or friend to so many. His memory will live on for a long time.

Thankyou all, Nicky