Tributes paid to Elizabeth Bath

Mrs Bath, an Honorary Alderman of Christchurch, passed away on Friday.

Born in 1926, she married Peter in 1950 just a year before he took over Bath Travel from his father, the company’s founder.

Their son Stephen told the Echo. “It’s absolutely true to say that my mother was the woman behind Bath Travel and Palmair. She was at my father’s side every step of the way as he built up the travel agency and launched the tour operation and airline.”

Mr Bath, who in turn became managing director of the family firm, added: “She was a remarkable woman.”

Peter ‘PJ’ Bath died in 2006.

During the Blitz in London as a teenager Liz volunteered as a trainee nurse in the triage department in Charing Cross Hospital.

Mr and Mrs Bath started married life together in Southbourne from where her husband cycled to Bournemouth town centre to work for his father, R.E. Bath. The travel empire started to expand after Mr Bath senior moved to Bermuda in 1951, leaving the business to his son Peter.

Stephen said: “As the matriarch not just of a large family of her own but of the Bath Travel family, my mother was the power behind the throne, helping dad cope with the stress of the company expanding from one travel agency in 1957 to 67 branches by 2011.

“She was at dad’s side when he started Palmair Holidays from Bournemouth in 1958, which went on to operate its own single jet airline for 17 years. She was rumoured to be the chef behind the airline in its early years, which was operated from Avon Farmhouse near the airport, where she was involved in selecting the airline’s cabin crew and wings ceremonies.”

Avon Farmhouse became the seat of the family from 1983, and Mrs Bath delighted in welcoming grandchildren and great grandchildren there over the years. She lived there until the end of her life. Mrs Bath leaves four children – Stephen, Andrew, Christine and Sally, twelve grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.