Surprise Surprise
[1]Grace and her identical twin, Marion
The unexpected happened on a cold winter day in Sandgate, Kent in December 1920 when Ethel Welsh gave birth to her daughter Marion. No sooner had the baby emerged than the midwife realised another one was on the way and Grace Gertrude Welsh was born. Some of Ethel’s eight sisters offered to have Grace as they thought it would be too much for Ethel to bring up twins. But wisely Ethel refused their offers as she felt both girls were given to her by the Lord and He would provide. Grace wrote later ‘How thankful I am that she made that decision which meant I was brought up in a Christian home.’
Early Years
In November 1922 the family moved to Hawkhurst in Kent, where her Dad became the local fishmonger. It was Christian home with two loving Godly parents who were a great influence on Grace. Sundays were always special with the family attending four services at Hawkhurst Baptist Church. Grace’s memory is a home full of music, her Dad singing, her Mum playing the piano and most days included singing together as a family. She also had two older foster brothers.
[2]Grace (on the right) age 3. They were, in fact, identical twins
As a child, Grace learned about Jesus and His love for her. She made a commitment to Christ as a child. The prayers of her parents, and particularly her mum’s example, was challenging especially at the death of her maternal Grandfather William Row in 1935. This made Grace question could she actually say “have I got the Son and the Life and know for sure there was a crown waiting for me?” She made a commitment to the Lord and was baptised, aged 15, in May 1936 at the Church.
Training
After leaving school, Grace followed her mum Ethel’s occupation and qualified as a shorthand typist and secretary. Her initial training was by her mum followed by training based in London, where her mum had taught before. During this time she lived with her cousin, also called Ethel, and her family in Enfield, North London. During this time she entered a typing competition and reached the national final. This event was staged in Brighton where she came in the top 10.
After completing this training she held a secretarial post in the office of the Chief Engineer of the local gas company. Her work was classified as a ‘reserved occupation’ so she wasn’t liable to be called-up for military service. During several years of the War she drifted away from the Lord.
War
[3]Grace in her ATS uniform
She experienced the effects of air raids and the blitz on London while living with her cousin. Every night they slept in the Air Raid shelter and always read Psalm 91 before going to sleep.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
During the war her twin sister Marion was conscripted into the ATS and Grace eventually joined her.
Recommitment
Towards the end of the War Grace felt the Lord was calling her to Christian work. She prayed earnestly that he would open a door of opportunity for her. In May 1945 while attending Kidderminster Baptist Church the Lord called her to commit her life to His service. The preacher at the Church Anniversary, Rev Hubert Janish of Worthing Baptist Church, preached on John 15:16 ‘You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, that you should go and bring forth fruit.’ She later wrote ‘I quietly and definitely responded to the Lord as I sang the closing hymn “Christ of the Upward Way, My Guide divine.” I didn’t tell anyone at the time for I always found it hard to share my deepest thoughts and feelings with others, but I was really sure that the Lord would one day would lead me on in His way and prepare me for all He was preparing for me.’
Challenges & Changes
Soon after Grace went to work for a Professor at the Mildmay Mission as his secretary. She assisted him in the compilation of a Worldwide Christian Directory in which the Professor acknowledged Mum’s ‘valuable assistance in completing the publication’. (basically she did all the hard work!)
[4]Hawkhurst Baptist Church 16th June 1951
The Mission Compound wasn’t far from St Luke’s Theological College where one Will White was training for the Christian Ministry. Over the next 15 months they bumped into each other at different occasions. Friendship turned into romance, romance into engagement and in June 1951 Will and Grace were married at Hawkhurst Baptist Church. They set off for their honeymoon in a plush taxi but they only paid the taxi driver to go round the corner, out of sight of the guests, where they got out walked to the bus stop and caught the bus to Salcombe in Devon.
When they returned to Woodford, the church had refurbished a tiny house which had previously been part of an old people’s home for them to live in. Ever the gallant gentleman, dad lifted Grace into his arms to carry her over the threshold. But as he did so they noticed the inscription above the door. Engraved in the glass panel it proclaimed “home for aged women”.
For the next 15 years Mum and Dad worked together at Grove Road Evangelical Church and the Lord blessed their ministry during these years with the church growing from a small fellowship of 30 to over 300 – as well as having their two boys.
A short ministry followed in Theydon Bois Essex then in 1968 the family moved to Banstead where their ministry continued until Will retired in 1983.
Hymn writer
For most of her life Mum wrote poetry which touchingly expressed her feelings about special moments in he life. They cover a huge range and were often given away as gifts to friends and church members for birthdays, celebration along with times of testing or crisis.
[5]A series of unconnected gifts over a period of a few months enabled Grace and Will to buy this car. We always saw it as God's goodness!
When they got their first car, Morris Minor (itself a miraculous story) she wrote this simple rhyme for her children to grasp the wonder of God’s provision
“Our Morris may be minor, but it’s major unto us
The Lord our God provided it and so it is his bus”
Elsewhere in this site (click here [6]) you’ll find other poems of hers that she wrote when dad was facing heart surgery in hospital and the future was uncertain.
Upbringing
Mum always tried to bring us up proper – and forms of address were part of this early education. When the famous evangelist Tom Rees was coming to the church – and to our house for tea – Grace drilled us both in the art of addressing celebrities. “Remember” she would say repeatedly “you call him Mr Rees”.
“What do you call him Ian?” “Mr Rees, mum”
[7]Grace with her two young sons
“What do you call him Carey?” “Mr Rees, mum”
So when the moment came for the great man’s arrival Carey and I were in awe. He came into our hallway to be met by Carey “Hello young man” he chortled “what’s your name?”
“I’m Carey”
He held out his hand as if to a long lost friend “Well I’m Tom!”
Ah well, she tried.
Holidays
Our family holidays were usually spent either with relatives or in down-at-heel Christian boarding houses. Until in 1973 we were generously given a holiday in Austria where we visited a glacier high in a mountain pass – the second highest in Europe. After lunch Grace went to the toilet. She was a long time returning and after about 20 minutes Will decided to investigate. As he walked past the grandiose entrance to the ladies he heard mum’s plaintive cry from within.
[8]Grace's first ride on a ski lift - just before her encarceration
Without a second thought, like a knight in shining armour he swept past the concierge guarding the entrance and to the consternation of the other occupants wrestled with the door that had imprisoned mum to set her free. From that moment on mum regarded it as a badge of honour that she had been rescued from the second highest loo in Europe.
Struggles
You can see from the photos that Mum’s outlook on life was characterised by a broad smile. Paradoxically for someone with such a sunny disposition, mum suffered several episodes of deep depression. This disposition meant that she had two periods in psychiatric hospital in a day when there was still something of a stigma attached to mental illness among some Christians.
[9]Grace's smile belied a mind sometimes weighed down with burdens over which she faithfully turned to the Lord for support.
But through all these experiences her faith never deserted her and she developed a real concern for people suffering mental illness.
Ministry
Throughout their marriage mum showed unstinting support for Dad’s ministry She was his supporter, prayer partner, secretary, critic and lover. Dad would often preach his sermon to mum in bed the night before he was due to speak and she would tell him which illustrations worked or which alliterations didn’t!
There was even a secret code between the two of them which mum used at moments when she thought dad was getting too animated in his preaching. If you had observed very carefully you would have occasionally seen the spine of her bible touch her nose to say “Will – cool it!”
A new life
[10]When dad passed away we expressed concern between us that Mum may find life burdensome without the devotion of Will. We were proved gloriously wrong! In spite of her advancing years she resolutely forged a new life for herself that was fulfilling and outgoing in love and fellowship to other people.
She was devoted to us, her children and to her four grand-children Chris, Esther, Matthew and Dana. There are only three are here today as Esther went home to glory last year. We’re sure that Grace and Esther, whose characters were very similar, will have much to talk about!
Aim
Grace wrote in some notes “my prayer is that all my (present) family and any who come after them, will come to know my God and be encouraged and blessed through reading my story.
In Grace’s writings for this Service she wrote, “I want it to be one of thanksgiving to the Lord for all His goodness and blessings throughout my life and for those who attend it, to be a comfort to those who mourn; to be a challenge to all those who attend; and to give an opportunity for commitment and consecration of one’s life to the purposes and will of God.
The God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble, with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
We thank the Lord for our dear Mum, for all the love she showered upon us; for the secure, loving, praying and caring Christian home she and Dad made for us. We know that she is “With Christ, Which is far better” praising and worshipping him in glory.
Ian & Carey White
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