Cecil Matson
| Cecil Matson | |
|---|---|
 Matty Matson | |
| Nicknames | Matty |
| Born | 1916 |
| Died | 2006 |
| Education | Wyberton School; Boston Grammar School (1927-1932) |
| Employer | JJ Beaulah; Royal Air Force; Anglian Water |
| Children | Pamela |
| Relatives | Five siblings |
Cecil "Matty" Matson was educated at Boston Grammar School (1927-1932).
Obituary
By Pamela McQueen (daughter)
My father values his education and the advantages it afforded him. I think he was a taught how to learn, and carried that duty of sharing his talents throughout his life, to the benefit of many.
His junior school years were mainly spent in Wyberton at the small village school. His father was Horseman for local farmers before mechanization, and an uncle was Wheelwright at the Forge in the next village. It follows that Cecil's passion as a boy was the countryside, particularly the marshes and its wildlife.
He learned to swim and enjoyed cycling. As the eldest of six children, there may have been some hardship to kit a boy our for Grammar School.
I have no specific record of school years, achievements, Teachers, or who inspired him, but after leaving school, to work in an office, his leisure pursuits reflected his personality and ability. He attended Wyberton church and the Boston Rowing Club and was secretary for the local boys club and the football team. He had also started to explore Britain and Europe on cycling holidays with a cousin and friends.
When at 23, war was declared, he had a new sense of purpose and had to decide if his knowledge and skills could contribute to serving his country to his satisfaction. He volunteered to join the Royal Air Force and was assessed to have Officer ability. His significant war record was a a Navigator, specifically with 68 Squadron, a night reconnaissance team flying Beaufighters and Mosquitoes, whilst also teaching navigation.
Like many of his contemporaries after the war, it was with the people he served with, that he talked about, to his family. Recall of their shared experiences was saved for annual reunions. Celebrating 60 years did promote a little more discussion, and the letters received after his death, proved how lasting these friendships were. Whatever the war taught Matty (as he was now known to most), his ensuing years reflected his courage, commitment to family, his role in the community, and his love in all things Country/ Nature.
His project on demob in 1945 was to elect himself 'Site Manager' tp the house he had partly helped to design and was having built in the village of Fishtoft, having married in 1940 and gained a daughter in 1943. We moved in just before the harsh snows of 1947, the garden yielding fruit that same summer, and it continued to evolve (unlike today's makeovers) through trial and error, passion and good management.
On demob, he rejoined JJ Beaulah,the Food Canners. As part of the Management team, he progressed through all the processes of food preservation, visiting farmers, examining crops and buying fruit and vegetables from this country and abroad. Competition in Business resulted in a takeover, and a few years laterm redundancy, creating another life change at nearly 50 years of age. Matty's family valued his decision to reject big business, which would have meant leaving Boston. He used his local knowledge instead to join the River Authority (later Anglian Water), commenced a new learning pathway, and was elected Staff Representative for NALGO, a reflection of his sound judgement, reliability, and people's respect.
Leisure time, apart from his garden, was spent with Playgoers, before and after their move to Blackfriars. Other activity came through the Church choir, social events, Fishtoft Parish duties, supporting his wife's WI activities and playing bowls with the Boston Bowling Club. He enjoyed his membership of the Boston Old Boys, the local Air Crew Association and 68 Squadron reunions, in fact he kept pace with many of the aspects of the modern RAF.
His retirement in 1981 created more time for family who lived out of the Town, and on caravan holidays, not forgetting competition Bowls. He joined the meals on wheels team and Probus, serving as their Outings organizer. When his wife became disabled, he became a very capable house husband. He had also started to enjoy being a Great Grandfather, and had reached the age of 90, when illness overtook him, suddenly, shockingly, for a man with so much energy... I had occasional glimpses of dreams unfulfilled and had observed his admiration of others' achievements... especially exploration involving navigation and stamina.
My Father died with courage, either inherited, or learned through Experience.