Brenda Kathleen Pattern was born in 1927 in East Preston, Sussex, the daughter of Robert Oliver Pattern and Kathleen Winifred (née Patching). She married Christopher Harold Meikle Brooks in 1956 and there are three children. She died in 2022.
Christopher Brooks, 31, a commercial artist, who painted the scenery for the P.A.D.S. production of Dandy Dick at Portland Hall, St. Marylebone, last week, adjusts the bowler of actress Brenda Pattern, who appeared in the Victorian farce. The couple have Just announced their engagement.
Marylebone Mercury (21 October 1955)
Theatre Love
An interest in the theatre has led to romance and wedding bells for amateur actress Miss Brenda Pattern, daughter of Mr and Mrs R. O. Pattern, of Calshot, Arundel Road.
Miss Pattern is hon. secretary and a founder member of the Phoenix Players, a member of the West Sussex Players, a former hon. secretary of Worthing Young Citizens Congress, and a member of the Ilex Club.
Her fiancé is Mr Christopher Brooks, son of Mr and Mrs W. H. Brooks, of Thames Ditton, Surrey, and he met Miss Pattern at the Regent Street Polytechnic Dramatic Society when she was appearing in a play written by his mother for which he designed the sets.
Mr Brooks is a commercial artist with London Fashion Group. He went to school at Brighton, Llandudno and Shrewsbury. The couple will be married on Easter Saturday, and will spend their honeymoon in Jersey.
Worthing Herald (23 March 1956)
Miss B. K. Pattern and Mr Christopher Brooks
Miss Brenda Kathleen Pattern, daughter of Mr and Mrs R. O. Pattern, of Calshot, Arundel Road, and Mr Christopher Harold Meikle Brooks, of Lexham Gardens, West London, son of Mr and Mrs W. H. Brooks, of 11 Ditton Lawn, Thames Ditton, Surrey, were married at Durrington Parish Church on Saturday. The service was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. N. Evans, and the bride’s uncle. Mr G. H. Pattern, was the organist.
The bride and bridegroom met in London, where Miss Pattern is secretary to the director of a commercial art studio. Mr Brooks is a commercial artist with a London fashion group. Miss Pattern is a member of the Ilex Club, the West Sussex Players, and a founder-member and hon. secretary of the Phoenix Players.
The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a short dress of white French ottoman silk cut on princess lines. She had a short white veil and coronet of gardenias, and wore lilac coloured gloves and shoes. Her bouquet was of gardenias, white freesias and lily-of-the-valley.
As bridesmaid Miss Amanda Welling (cousin of the bride) wore a short dress of willow green nylon crystal organza, with coronet of ivy leaves. She carried a spray of white freesias and ivy leaves.
The best man was Mr F. C. E. Edmonds.
After a reception at the Willow Barn the bride and bridegroom left for their honeymoon in Jersey.
Worthing Herald (6 April 1956)
We all known the handful of successful actresses who can at any given period can afford to pick and choose their plays in accordance with their own ideas of what constitutes a suitable “vehicle” for their talents, but there cannot be many amateur stage players in that fortunate position. So hats off to Brenda Pattern, former West Sussex Player and founder-member of the Phoenix Players, who joined that select company last week.
Brenda, who left Worthing in April when she married a London fashion artist, appeared at the Portland Hall last week in the leading role of The Deep Blue Sea. presented by the Regent Street Polytechnic Dramatic Society. Its producer, Mr John Becker, told a Press conference that Terence Rattigan’s play was chosen by the society “primarily” to give Brenda Pattern a dramatic role that would suit her.
It appears that in previous productions she has been cast in heavy comedy parts but made such an impression in these that everyone wanted to see her in a leading role.
Brenda’s parents, Mr and Mrs R. Pattern, of Arundel Road, will treasure that tribute, published in last Wednesday’s Evening News together with a picture of Brenda’s husband helping her to make-up for the part of Hester Collyer.
