HEMEL HEMPSTEAD LOCAL HISTORY AND MUSEUM SOCIETY

ELIZABETH BUTEUX 

 

Elizabeth Florence Buteux, MA, AISTD, past Chairman and Vice-President of HHLH&MS passed away on 25 October 2015, aged 86.  She is sadly missed by all in the local community who knew her. 

 

 

Elizabeth Buteux, MA, AISTD, 1929-2015

 

Elizabeth Buteux who sadly passed away on 25th October originally intended to be a ballerina. She successfully auditioned for the International Ballet School during the war, and later graduated to the Company where she started to perform solo roles. Sadly she had to retire due to injury just as her career was beginning. She gained her teaching qualifications in Ballet and Ballroom and Latin American Dancing and started her own Dancing School when she and her husband John lived in Enfield.

In 1955 they moved to Hemel and took up the tenancy at the Bell in the High Street, staying for 37 years – which is probably how they are best remembered. Somehow during the years at the Bell, Elizabeth found the time to gain a degree with the Open University.

Once they had retired, and after John’s year as Mayor of Dacorum 1992-1993, Elizabeth went back to University, gaining an MA in Local History from Hertfordshire. The High Street featured in her dissertation. She had 5 local history books published and also many articles.  John would drive her around Hertfordshire to give talks on local history. She was Chairman of Hemel Hempstead Local History and Museum Society for many years, and was a Director of the Dacorum Heritage Trust.

She will be greatly missed, but remembered with love. Her funeral was at the church she loved - St Mary’s in the High Street where she used to conduct tours for the Friends of St Mary’s.

Sally Przeslak

(Elizabeth’s daughter)