The following tribute was given at Mrs G's funeral given by Huw Williams, her son-in-law:

"Rose Gimblett, was born Rose Bull on 18th November 1920. She lost her own father when she was just 13 months old, but Rose and her brothers and sisters were ably cared for by her mother and stepfather.

Rose never shied away from hard work, starting work aged 14 at the Y.M., later working at The Waters Edge and finally working well past retirement age at The Sully Inn.

Glanymor, the Y.M. is a place that has passed into legend. I personally never got to visit this hallowed place but the tales I have heard and the love with which everyone speaks of it makes me wish I had.

Rose and Cled ran Glanymor like a family business, and the staff and guests became part of an extended family. Rose and Cled created an atmosphere of love and fun that everyone who came into contact with became captivated by.  If you want evidence of this, just log on at glanymor.org, yes there really is a website.

I never called Rose ‘Rose’. I, along with most people called her 'Mum'. Mum was invited to Buckingham Palace twice. Once to attend a Garden Party, and once when she accompanied Colin to collect his gold Duke of Edinburgh award. I remember Mum saying that she was very impressed by the toilet facilities.  The fact that someone went to clean the loo after each person had been tickled her pink.

Mum’s sense of humour was infectious, as was her sense of mischief, and she loved to see everyone around her having fun.  Mum’s generosity was something which everyone benefited from at one time, or another.  Mum was always willing to help anyone who needed anything.

Mum has touched many lives in the last 86 years, but obviously, the lives she touched the most were those of her children, Alun, Sandra, Colin and Kita, along with their spouses and partners. And she always enjoyed seeing her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

This coming Sunday would have been Rose and Cled’s 67th wedding anniversary, and we get the feeling that Rose and Cled, Jack and Do Williams, and Jack and Nina Manning, and others too countless to mention that were part of the extended family, will be celebrating in style.

Rose, Mum, Nanny, Nan – we will miss you, but we will always remember your impish grin, your generosity and your love."

 

The following tribute was was given at Mrs G's funeral by Jeremy Riches, former Student at Glan-y-Mor (74-76):

"The family have asked me to say a few words about Mrs G.

My name is Jeremy Riches. I had the good fortune to be one of the students who lived at Glan-y-Mor in the 1970s and had the privilege of living there with the Gimblett family for two years.

As I am sure many of you know, Glan-y-Mor was built as a YMCA holiday and conference centre and Cledwyn and Rose worked there throughout it's existence. It was highly successful, attracting many of the working families from the valleys and beyond. However, by the late 1960s, demands for its facilities were in decline, so it was fortunate that UWIST, one of the two universities in Cardiff, took it on as a Hall of Residence throughout the 1970s. This kept the place going for another 10 years until Cled's retirement, and soon after, to everyone's dismay, Glan-y-Mor was demolished.

So the Gimblett family was landed with 108 unruly students... not an easy task! However Mrs G, through her strength of personality was perfectly capable at keeping us in order - most of the time!! She regularly undertook the dreaded raids of the rooms to ensure that there were no visitors after hours. We had profound respect for her - she held true to her high moral standards and she encouraged, indeed expected them, in others. Her ability to keep us under control was always balanced with a warmth, and quite the most devilish sense of humour. She was an active participant in many of our student pranks and yes, I was there when at 11 o'clock one evening when she decided to check that all the students were in the right rooms by standing at the end of one of the long corridors and setting off the fire alarm.

The Gimblett family were the life and soul of Glan-y-Mor and I would like to acknowledge how hard they all worked as a family to run the place - they seemed to live in the kitchens. It is a testament to Rose and Cledwyn that they managed to produce such a fine family.

I understand that Mrs G always felt that we were a part of her extended family, although I can't imagine what her four children did to deserve us! It is probably true to say that her warmth and kindness left its mark on all of us some 30 years on and I feel honoured to have had this opportunity to pay this tribute to her.

Thank you."

 

South Wales Echo Letter

Condolences:

"I'm very sad to hear that Mrs G has passed away. She was a real character and helped to make my time at Glan-y-Mor a time of fun and happiness. I hope her family can take comfort in the fact that so many people, whose lives she affected positively, hold fond memories of her". Jill Papworth (1973/4)

"I think of Mrs G often.  I used to chat to her in the kitchen - once for so long that my blood drained to my legs and I had to sit on the floor or faint!  I loved her straightforward, no nonsense personality.  A sweetheart!  She must have been a good age by now.  It is a tribute to her that so many will be saddened to hear of her death.  Fond memories.  Bless her and her family". Sue Smith (nee Bowen) and Mick Smith

"Both Kath & I were sorry to hear Rose passed away.   She will be remembered by us forever as we spent really lovely holidays with them at Glan-y-Mor in the 1950's and 60's.   There cannot be many who would forget those days of fancy dress parades and community singing on a Sunday in the lounge.   Our kind thoughts are with all the fam ily at this time".   Kath & Wally Exall , Worcester.

"Sad news indeed. Memories are many of Rose and Cled and their family and do you know, every memory was good.  Many of the old families that we knew are sadly disappearing but the one constant in all those family lives at Glan-y-Môr were the Gimbletts.  My deepest sympathies to all the children and grandchildren.  For those of us who made Glan-y-Môr our holiday home, we have sadly lost another holiday Mum.  May our kindest thoughts go to all the family". Laurence (Rogers-)Jones
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