Sandy's Life Story

Sandy Ann Lynch was born 29 August, 1935 in Morcombe, Lancashire, to Reginald Law Greenhalgh, vetinary surgeon, and Margery Guinan. Reginald was of an established Lancashire family; farmers who became mill owners. Margery was one of seven siblings from a Liverpool family who were prosperous beer and wine shippers. The family business supplied the passenger boats going out of Liverpool, and it may well be that their supplies refreshed many a hopeful soul on their way to the "New countries".

Sandra was the oldest of three sisters, Julia and Angela.

The three girls attended Birkdale convent in Southport, Lancashire. Margery always wanted Sandra to go to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Sandra took dancing classes and drama from an early age, becoming something of a little star. She was in Ralph Readers Gang-show when it was in Blackpool!


Her mother, Margery, died when Sandy was 16. Sandy came home to nurse her mother before she died and looked after her younger sisters.

Sandy finished her “A” levels and decided, however, that she wanted to get into personnel management: finding employment with Marks and Spenser’s Department Stores in 1955. Sandy had become the leading light in the young peoples’ organisations of her time, these being the Young Conservatives and the Young Farmers Club.

Sandra was posted to Wigan in 1956, where she met another Marks and Spenser prodigy, Francis Anthony Lynch. The two had known each other from Young Farmers and Young Conservatives clubs. Their romance started on Wigan train station over a glass of Bass Carrington’s beer during their daily commute, in different directions, home to Manchester and Liverpool.

Sandy soon moved into Wigan and lived, unconventionally, in a caravan in an orchard. She moved around the country, also with caravan, in various assignments for Marks and Spencer and they both managed to stay in travelling distance of each other.

Sandy became engaged to Tony in Easter 1959 and they were married in the June of the same year. They honeymooned in Yugoslavia, an unusual choice for those days.

In 1960, they were to be found in Kingston, when their first son, David Dominic, was born. Kieron John was born 18 months later. Sandra gave up work and they moved to Manchester, and then to Lemington Spa and then to Luton. The constant travelling became less attractive.

In 1968, they decided to buy a rundown pub in a very old village opposite an old church in Ashwell, Hertfordshire. The pub was called the “Bushel and Strike”. Within 25 years they had built it into thriving business, serving good beer, exotic food and drawing customers from far and wide.

In the Bushel, Sandy ruled the kitchen, always with a "hands on" approach, and sometimes with the hands around the neck of an unfortunate sous-chef. There was a team of 8 people working in the kitchen under Sandy. She was committed to perfection and performance. In fact, Sandy used to wear a long dress to cook in with an apron over the top, so that at the end of service, she could whip off the apron and zoom out front to check on the customers.

There was blood sweat and tears, but also plenty of fun. It is impossible to forget the Christmas Carol singing and brilliant New Years Eve parties. The “Bushel”, as it was known, became the social centre of the universe.

What Sandy really loved to do was to travel, and travel she did; all over the world and particularly to countries that were off the beaten track and where the sun shone brightly. Our family photo albums bear witness to that.

In 1974, the family moved out from the Bushel and into Cheyney Water Farmhouse, a quintessential English country farmhouse. Cheyney Water’s garden transformed under Sandy’s Stewardship. The roses came out especially well. And it wasn’t long before Cheyney Waters became the social centre of the Universe, receiving long and short stay visitors from all over the world and being THE place for Dinner parties, with Sandy in the middle of it all.

In 1993 Sandy and Tony retired from the Bushel after 25 years of hard work. During their visit for Kieron and Caroline’s wedding in 1994 the idea to move to New Zealand came up. “One last great adventure” was Sandy’s phrase and the deal was sealed over a decent meal in a Queenstown restaurant. KJ and C were kept in the dark about it at the time, but they did quietly discuss with Yo Robinson, who said she could always find Sandy a job working for her.

Sandy had almost too much life force for the equal and opposite force of illness
with which she wrestled in life (High blood pressure, heart problems and minor stroke). Cancer became her companion for awhile until surgery, in 1999, separated one from the other.

The immigration processes took time and effort, but with help from family and friends the application package came together and they moved in 2001. Initially, they lived with Kieron and Caroline, and then in Clevedon in rented accommodation. It took sometime but then Priscilla Wilson Mc Gregor helped find the house which was the home of Jim and Gaylene Wilson in Ararimu.

She was never happier than here.

Sandy’s vitality took control of the scene, the garden was transformed and the social centre of the Universe shifted to 2 Sinclair Road, receiving long and short stay visitors from all over the world and becoming THE place for Yoga practice.

Here, Sandy grew a circle of friends who shared her liking for retail therapy, and from here Sandy enjoyed her grand children Rebekka Sigrun, Eirikur Anthony, Sandra Kristin and Stella Marcel.

Sandy’s life was typified by vitality and lust for life. She had a free and forward looking spirit which was tempered by a tremendous capacity for hard work, service and self depreciating humour.

Sandy died peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of November 8, 2006.