Claire was 'nearly' born in Swindon PMH on 12th March 1972, apparently she started to make her entrance a little quicker than the taxi driver could get her Mum, Doreen, to the hospital. Thankfully the midwife and staff helped finish things off a little more conventionally inside the hospital.

Claire grew up at Hambury Road in Park South, Swindon, along with her five siblings, Tony, Brendan, Karen, Jolene and Jimmy, and had fond memories of visits to see other family in Ireland. Sadly Tony was taken early in a tragic accident 4 years ago.

As with many families growing up in the 70's times were hard and life wasn't easy, but Claire had fun times spent with her friends and family, often playing at her Auntie June's, or out on the street outside her Nan's house - marbles on the manhole being a favourite. In fact only 2 years ago Claire, Brendan, Sharon Younger, Robert Collins, Karen Stew, George Dean and other friends had a street reunion, reliving their childhood on the grass outside Claire's Nan's house - grown adults playing marbles on the manhole, climbing trees and sitting on the grass like carefree kids for the afternoon, before finishing the day with more grown-up celebrations... in the pub.

Claire went to school at Holy Family, and Oakfield’s before going on to Swindon College to study amongst other things Childcare, languages and motor mechanics! She left college able to speak 5 languages fluently including- French, German, Spanish and Italian. There was even talk of a potential career as an interpreter.

Claire has always been determined and hardworking, and this started young with her holding down three jobs at the same time during her teenage years - working at Hooleys Solicitors as a trainee legal secretary, cleaning offices in the evenings elsewhere and then working behind the bar including the infamous Ship in Westcott Place - where she was convinced she saw an old lady reputed to haunt the back bar!

Unfortunately Claire's early first marriage wasn't a happy one, right from the start and it broke up within the first year - Claire courageously and independently striding out on her own to start a new life. She started working in The Oxford pub in Drove Road, with Karen and Dave, soon becoming friends with one of the other barmaids, Claire Fairchild and then took up lodgings with her in her house in Plymouth Street.

Sadly Claire's beloved Mum, Doreen, also died way too young at the age of 48 in 1993, leaving Claire and the family devastated.

Claire continued working hard, giving her all to the job at the pub, the same as she did with everything she put her mind to. Karen (just a half) and Dave became great friends, Claire often babysitting for their lovely children Sioned, Katrina and Cameron.

Claire met Paul (Bertie to nearly everyone except his mum and his boss) as he was a regular in the pub with his Dad and mates, including a long lost friend - Lyle Thompson, who once commented on Claire's colourful language by saying "well, at least no-one will ever get thrown out of Claire's pub for swearing!” Bertie and Fred were members of the pub dart team with Claire doing the catering for home games - one evening an almighty crash, a scream, and swearing came from the kitchen as Claire slipped over and spilled hot Bolognese all over herself - closely followed by laughter, before picking herself up and getting on with the job.

One otherwise ordinary evening in the pub about 21 years ago, Claire engineered for Bert to be on his own for a few minutes, by getting his Dad away to talk to Karen and Dave - so that she could ask him out on a date - not backward in coming forward, our Claire - and that was the start of their wonderful life together.
The first date was a meal in Gaetano’s - a place they have revisited many times in the years since.

Bert used to stay over with Claire in Plymouth Street, and very soon she fell pregnant with the first child Dan - around Valentine’s Day 1996, looked on by Thomas the Tank wallpaper.

Being the selfless person she was, even though she was 6 months pregnant with Dan, Claire was more than happy for Bert to go on his long planned 3 week holiday to California with his mates. Whilst he was away, Claire stayed with Bert's parents Fred and Jen, but soon after the holiday they moved in to their new home in Beatrice Street, where they have stayed happily ever since.

Dan was born in 1996 and their young family life got off to a fantastic start. Claire went back to work almost straight away, money was tight and they both needed to work - besides Claire loved working in the pub. Dan was not quite 4 months old when they got a call from the temporary landlord of the pub saying the brewery had approved their application to run the pub and they should take over straight away. They moved into the pub the very next day and took the reins - to their surprise though, the brewery knew nothing about it! The temps had done a flit and left Claire and Bert to explain. Thankfully Claire convinced them they were right for the job and went on to prove it for about 2 years. Claire managed the pub brilliantly and was the perfect landlady - always happy to share a beer and talk with the punters, but equally ready to step in and sort things out if the need arose. Those two years were filled with happy memories and when they left to concentrate on family life they did so with hopes and dreams of one day retiring to a pub somewhere in Cornwall - well I'm sure she'll be pulling pints wherever she is now.

After leaving the pub, Claire worked as an office temp and soon landed her job at BCS, and went on to spend 17 years, making many friends, working hard and above all having fun - there are countless stories of the ISEB chicks on tour which will no doubt be shared again later today and for years to come.

Claire was struck with cervical cancer in the late 90's but with early treatment she made a swift and full recovery, and went on to have their second son, Jake in 2001.

Learning to drive didn't happen until much later, so when the boys needed taking to childcare, nursery and school, with Bert working shifts in Oxford, Claire would walk miles before and after work dropping them off, in all weathers - most often with Dan riding in the basket under Jake's pram, and Claire making up stories, singing and laughing with them to make the trek bearable and fun.

Family life suited Claire down to the ground and she was a devoted, loving, caring and fun mum, always making time to play and have fun. Claire and Bert enjoyed the most wonderful, trusting, and respectful, passionate and loving relationship - each enjoying their own hobbies, pursuits and friends, giving them plenty to share and laugh about together. Claire always supported Bert, when he left BMW and started self-employment, even waving him off to America again with Nigel to pursue 'training' for the grandfather clock business they were running - although there was plenty of fun had too.

Claire was a party animal, and a night owl - never happier than in the company of friends and family, a Fosters in one hand and a fag in the other, laughing, singing Tina Turner hits, dancing in the kitchen, having fun or putting the world to rights at one of the many, many parties held at Beatrice Street - Christmas', Birthdays, New Year's Eves, casino nights, a sunny Saturday, rainy days when the BBQ came inside, in fact any excuse to be with friends and have fun, not least the infamous beach party with dozens of bags of play sand spread across the kitchen floor to have an indoor beach. Claire was always the last one standing, long after Bert had disappeared to bed, or fallen asleep with a glass of red wine in his han.

Bert and Claire married at The Goddard Arms, 12th June 2004 with both sons proudly standing at her side, looking so smart in their suits the same as Bert - refusing to take them off, no matter how hot they were, until he took his off first... Dan proudly signing the wedding certificate as witness and getting ink on his fingers - thanks for licking it clean Stef - and Jake being tickled by the button-hole flower. The honeymoon even turned into a party with 12 friends joining them in Rhodes for a Communi-moon.

Apart from her two biggest achievements, Dan and Jake, Claire proudly started running, completing her first 5km run with Shinsplints and later going on to do several Race for Life Cancer charity runs, and she loved her Zumba dance lessons with Karen - coming home absolutely buzzing with excitement after each session.

Her love of cats started as a little girl with Tibbs, and continued in married life with Chevy and Rudi, often calling herself the mad cat lady, she took great comfort from having several visits from Rudi whilst in Prospect, enjoying having her curl up on her bed to be stroked.

Claire always had time for others, always willing to lend an ear, a shoulder to cry on or words of advice and comfort - not forgetting to offer her opinion. She was straight forward, told it how it was and never played games with emotions. Always smiling, laughing and having fun. Claire loved the American cars and hot rods Bert enjoys, loving the Chevy and the retro scene. After initially hating Bert's Model B Hot Rod when they first got together, she grew to love it and cried when they sold it.

In recent years, Claire volunteered, helping with 17th Swindon cubs and trained to be a Cub Leader - Shada, before becoming ill last year. She absolutely loved working with children, thoroughly enjoying all the times spent with the cubs - learning many new skills and taking part in lots of new activities - camping, PGL, wild games etc. Even coping with creepy crawlies and spiders.

The last year has been tough, diagnosed with a brain tumour in August 2015, but after the initial shock and realisation, she was determined to stay positive throughout. To live life to the max and have fun, not to be frightened and sad. She started writing a diary but soon found that focused the mind too much on the negative so gave that up in favour of doing things instead of writing about it.

She and Bert focused all their efforts on enjoying what time they had left, making memories with Dan and Jake! - They hoped for 5 more years together, but it wasn't to be and Claire never wanted to be sad. Even in her final days, wagging a knowing finger at a friend who dared to feel sad, and started to cry at her bedside, and telling off other mates who fetched a nurse, instead of chips.

Claire was an enormously strong person, who had a hard start in life, but made up for it by enjoying every possible moment. Proud of her beautiful family, with endless love for Bert and her young men, Dan and Jake. She looked forward to growing old with Bert, becoming that shuffling old couple in the street, wearing beige; watching her family grow and sharing their futures. She has been taken from us all, far too soon and we will all miss her terribly, but we all know that she would not allow us to be sad for long - the party must go on, for our Fosters Queen.

Sweet dreams Claire Love you ever ever