The regal and kind face of ‘Victorian’ Battle passes away

Sylvia Kilby, 79, died at her Crowhurst home last month after a short illness.

She was affectionately known as ‘Mrs Bumble’ by all those who knew her in the 1990s in her role as a Victorian maid at Buckleys Yesterday’s World Museum. 

Sylvia met her husband, Jack, on a double dancing date when he was taking out her friend, Joyce.

She waited for Jack for two years whilst he was in Malaya with the SAS during the 1950s conflict, and they married in 1952 in Haringey, London. 

Sylvia was an embroiderer’s machinist in the West End working on garments for people such as Princess Anne and the singer Lulu. 

Sylvia and Jack moved to Battle in 1981 taking over the management of Battle Wine Stores in the High Street.w

On semi-retirement in 1991, Sylvia went to work at the Buckleys Museum of Shops opposite the Abbey, whilst work was underway to build a new extension to create Yesterday’s World. 

Annette Buckley, co-founder of Yesterday’s World, said: “When we were half way through this major refurbishment, I felt exhausted after working so many long hours and was at a low ebb – along came Sylvia to my office, put her arms around me in a big bear hug and gave me a beautiful bunch of flowers to cheer me up. 

“That was typical of Sylvia. She had a huge heart and a generous nature and wanted to be everybody’s friend. 

“She was a true ‘people person’ and nothing was too much trouble to help somebody out.”

Sylvia loved her job and could turn her hand to anything, playing different roles at various events, including the The Queen Mum at her 100th birthday celebrations and Queen Victoria at her Diamond Jubilee.

Sylvia was often asked to sign postcards of herself serving behind the Victorian sweet shop counter or asked to pose for a photograph with visitors. 

She became somewhat of a celebrity, so much so that a top model agency in London phoned Mrs Buckley to ask where she had hired the model on the front of the museum’s promotional literature, as they would like to employ her services. 

Although very nervous about attending an audition, and finding herself amongst a throng of glamorous young girls, Sylvia passed with flying colours.

She was soon modelling in adverts for major companies including Boots, British Rail and British Airways and became the face on the front of photo booths all over the UK. 

Mrs Buckley said: “She said she had to pinch herself to think that she had become a ‘fab’ model in her sixties and although a very modest person, she revelled in the excitement surrounding the job. 

“Eventually, soon after she was asked to travel to Portugal for a photo shoot, Sylvia reluctantly decided to end her modelling career as the long journeys and unpredictable working hours were getting too much for her. 

“She had worked the modelling shoots around her flexible part time job with us, and to her credit she never let us down in favour of the model agency, as she was a very loyal member of our team and thoroughly enjoyed her role in customer care.  

“Ten years along the line, Sylvia was very sad to announce her retirement when her hips let her down and we were very sorry to lose one of the loveliest ladies to ever come into our lives.”

In her later years, Sylvia kept busy with her Monday and Thursday clubs which saw her dressing up once again, this time as one of the Beverley Sisters

Sylvia’s husband Jack died late last year and his loss affected her deeply.

This year would have been the couple’s Diamond Wedding Anniversary and Sylvia’s eightieth birthday.

Sylvia leaves behind children Stephen, Jonathan and Vivienne and grandchildren, Gemma, Ellen and Jazmin.

Sylvia’s funeral took place at St George’s Church in Crowhurst.