Following in the footsteps of her parents, who had both attended Sidcot School before the First World War, Joan joined the School as a boarder in 1938, where her older sister was already a pupil. Her years at Sidcot were filled with friendships, laughter and memorable adventures, from dormitory escapades and singing alto in the Madrigal group to swimming, hockey, tennis and the school's end-of-term dances.

She fondly recalled the simple routines of boarding life, the numbered butter dishes that lasted a week, the tuck shop, and the camaraderie that flourished despite wartime rationing and air raid drills.

During the Second World War, she witnessed the distant glow of the Bristol Blitz from the school grounds, a sobering reminder of the conflict unfolding beyond Sidcot School’s peaceful setting.

Above all, she valued the kindness, tolerance and sense of community that characterised Sidcot School, remembering it as a place where Quaker values quietly shaped everyday life and where she enjoyed a truly happy and formative chapter of her childhood.

Our thanks to Joan's sons Peter, Simon and Nicholas for sharing this memorial of Joan's life with us, following her Quaker Memorial Service on the Isle of Wight on Sunday 28 June 2026: Joan Kidd Obit