Primula Mary BULL

PRIMULA MARY BULL (née Eshelby) Died May 8, 2020 Prim died peacefully in her sleep the morning of May 8, at Trillium Ridge Long Term Care, Kingston, Ontario after having had a major stroke six years ago, at the age of 93. Prim was born to Phoebe (nee Mason Hutchinson) and Captain Alan Eshelby in London, England. She was the first girl after her three brothers Richard, Jock and Peter. She had an idyllic childhood growing up at The Manor House in Farrington Gurney, Somerset. She loved riding her horse Glow. Prim was evacuated along with her brother Peter to Canada in 1940 as war children, and they were under the care of Lady Eaton, King City, Ontario. She attended Branksome Hall until she graduated. At the age of 17 years she returned to England to join the WRENS. She was assigned to top-secret operations at Bletchley Park of which she never spoke until the late 1970's. After the war Prim attended the University of Bristol graduating in 1949. She was a debutante at the Court of King George VI. Having grown up with servants she attended the Cordon Bleu school in Paris to learn how to cook. She was famous for her fabulous dinners. Prim had a deep and abiding faith within the Anglican church. She was 'prim and proper', and was a staunch advocate of etiquette. She had a lovely dry sense of humour and loved double entendres along with puns. Those always brought a roar of laughter. However, the slightest sad scene in a movie or TV show created a flood of tears. After the war Prim returned to Canada and worked as a secretary, French teacher and librarian in Toronto. When Prim started dating our father Keith Bull she would come for Sunday dinners at our home, during which the three teenagers would test her knowledge of slang and swear words, and much to our amusement we would have to explain what they meant. Nevertheless, she and Keith married in 1971. She was a devoted supporter of Keith for 44 years until his death in 2015. In 1979 she and Keith retired to Kingston, Ontario, along with their dog Pixie and cat Treacle. Prim was very active as a volunteer with St. George's Cathedral in Kingston, she gardened passionately, was a talented seamstress, a cook, camper then cottager, loved her bridge games, and cross country skiing. Prim was predeceased by her brothers and her husband Keith and leaves behind her three stepchildren Cathy, Avril and Owen, her nieces Joanna Eshelby and Sarah Ellis, two great nephews and a great niece, seven step-grandchildren and ten step-great grandchildren, and her best friend Nancy Robinson. Prim considered Mrs. Clifford Mulligan her 'Canadian mother' and was great friends with the Prendergast, McEachern and Agnew families. The family wishes to thank the fantastic, dedicated, loving, overworked and underpaid staff at Trillium Ridge, especially Melissa, Shelley, Debbie, Angie, Michelle and also the janitorial and kitchen staff who looked after 'The Queen' so well. We can't thank you enough. Cremation has taken place.