Mrs Elizabeth Waller

I was born at Crepping Hall on 17th July, 1923, and was christened at St Peter's Church.  My first memories of Stutton are of the nine years I lived at Crepping Hall with my father and mother, Clavering and Evelyn Fison (née Bland).  I learnt to swim at Graham's Wharf where my grandfather, James Fison, had kept his barge.  I was allowed to wander about on my own with my Shetland pony and we spent many hours together down by the estuary.

My mother's second baby, a still-born girl, was born in 1925 and is buried in St Peter's graveyard.  Soon after my sister, Gay Strutt, was born in 1932, we all moved to Stutton Hall.

In 1948, I married Arnoud Waller, a Dutchman, and I went to live in Holland.  Our marriage service was held at St Peter's and twelve months later, we brought back our son, David, to be christened there.

I inherited Crepping Hall in 1985 and so I now live there and in Holland.  On 1986, our daughter, Caroline's marriage to Emile baron van der Borch van Verwolde was blessed at St Peter's.  Their son, Frank Guy Clavering, was christened there in 1988.

The presence of the River Stour has always been a great attraction for me and Crepping Hall with its views of the estuary is, in my mind, a magical place!  The photograph shows me dancing on the lawn with Dutch friends, to the violin music of a lady from Bulgaria.