TILLEY
with roots in Somerset, England
family
the
Rachel Penelope Tilley
Rachel was born on 7 September 1920 to Edward Tom Tilley (1878-1961) and Ada Margaret Look (1880-1970).
She married Lt Antony Laurence Phillips (born 22 October 1917), Royal Corps of Signals, at St Andrew's Church, Loxton, Somerset, on 6 January 1945. They had three children - Andrew (7 January 1946), Louisa (11 March 1947) and Nicolas (23 January 1948). Rachel died on 2 August 2009. Tony passed away in 2015.
Tony and Rachel on their wedding day on 6 January 1945. Seated to the
right is her sister Ursula who was their bridesmaid with their parents, Ted and Margaret Tilley, behind her. Tony’s bestman was Ronald Money and next to him is Tony's stepmother Caroline and his father Arthur Burns Phillips with Jean-Ann seated in front of them.
Rachel in her Women’s Auxiliary Air Force uniform.
Rachel and Ursula collecting for the Red Cross.
Tony and Rachel outside their
retirement home.
Memories
“I remember her as a very attractive late teenager who looked after me at the farm until the outbreak of war, when she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, doing service during the Battle of Britain by plotting movements of aircraft over Southeast England from a bunker there.”
Rachel on her wedding day with her father, Edward Tom Tilley.