in memoriam

Malcolm Gittins (Cwmtysswg)

It is with great sadness we have to inform you of the passing of Malcolm Gittins.

He had been involved in Mastiffs for a very long time and was a well known and well-respected breeder under his affix of Cwmtysswg, as well as a member of the OEMC.

Apart from his love of mastiffs, Malcolm’s other interest lay in Shire horses which he also bred and showed until recently.  He and his wife Pauline were often seen at shows with Malcolm taking a keen interest in the dogs being shown on the day.

He will be greatly missed not only for his knowledge and breeding of Mastiffs but also for his kindness, good manners and sense of humour.

The officers and committee of the OEMC offer our deepest condolences to Pauline and the members of his family.

Heather Johnson

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Heather Johnson who passed away on 6th January 2021.

Heather was a Life Member of the OEMC having been a member since 1982, the same year she acquired her first Mastiff. She was a great animal lover, but her Mastiffs were her life. Many was the time I would phone her, and she would be sharing a cream cake with Noah or “my precious boy “as she referred to him. Her Mastiffs never wanted for anything. Most Wednesday afternoons for the past twenty years, Heather made a three hour round trip to take her Mastiffs swimming in a dog leisure pool purely for their enjoyment. The dogs were then treated to a sardine and scrambled egg supper to complete their day.

​Heather lived close to the South of England Showground and supported all the Shows that were held there when Mastiffs were scheduled. She would be seen ringside relishing seeing all the dogs together, her idea of heaven.

Heather and Betty Baxter were great friends and would spend hours chatting to each other most days on the phone. They both refused to enter the 21 st century and Heather was adamant that she would never have a mobile phone or that computer thing that she thought was ridiculous and totally unnecessary. She also shared a great friendship with Val Higgs, and she missed them both a great when they sadly passed away. Richard Thomas and Peter Tugwell were good friends and Heather often spoke of how she loved their dogs and enjoyed her visits to see the Bredwardine Mastiffs.

​Heather had many friends in the Mastiff community and will be fondly remembered for her vast knowledge and interesting stories of Mastiffs.

Heather’s health deteriorated towards the end of last year and she spent her last few months in Acorn Lodge Care Home in East Grinstead where she was well looked after. I spoke to her the week prior to her passing and she sounded relaxed and happy, a memory I will cherish.

Heather is survived by her son Nick, her sister Maggie and their families, to whom we offer our sincere condolences. Sadly, due to the pandemic we will not be able to attend Heather’s funeral, but her life will be celebrated by her Mastiff friends, hopefully later this year. Nick has requested that any donations in Heather’s memory should be made to the PDSA, a charity close to her heart.

Farewell Heather, all your dogs will be delighted to be reunited with you, you were a true dog lover and a dear friend who will be sorely missed.

Claire Whelan

John Bromley

With great regret that we saw the passing of Mr John Bromley on Friday 11th December 2020, we send our deepest condolences to his wife Margaret and their children.