Chris was a founder member of Yaxley Morris, which became Pig Dyke Molly.
She was there on 3rd September 1987, the first practice.
Initially a dancer, Chris became the vital, unique and inimitable drummer of Pig Dyke until Covid. Every old video contains Chris, living the dance as she drums.
She is the last of the “classic” Pig Dyke band for our first fifteen years.
I met Christine Kempton when I was 15 and joined Pig Dyke Molly. She had been the original drummer for many years before I joined. I worked with many wonderful musicians – Anahata and Mary, Tom Sennett, and Kai Jenkins – alongside Chris on percussion. Me, Chris and Kai used to love playing the original Pig Dyke tunes written by Robin Griggs together. The three of us would play the original Robin Griggs' tunes and there is nothing in the world quite like these tunes in their energy and style. I never met Robin Griggs and only briefly knew Dave Parker, the other original band member - but the original Pig Dyke Molly band is back together once again.
Her drumming was simple but unique and powerful; she played with her hands instead of traditional sticks usually used for the type of drum she played. Her drumming was distinctive, and her spoons were brilliant. I loved when she'd join in on the spoons with scratch ceilidhs at Pig Dyke's Straw Bear Friday night celebrations at St Andrews Hall.
Chris would give me wine when no one was looking. It led to the iconic incident of the killer moles at Sheringham Lobster Potties festival, where I got drunk for the first time. Having had a migraine earlier in the day, I forgot I'd taken some strong painkillers, drank the wine, and the hallucinations started. It turns out that the moles were actually just pine cones in the camping field. We laughed about that for many years.
Chris once took me to a festival, Off The Tracks, in Donnington when I was younger. It was one of the best memories I have. I didn't bring much money with me, so Kai and I went halves on some chips, which Chris decided she wanted to share with us. Kai was running between me and Chris to coordinate what condiments we wanted on the chips, and the three of us shared them together. It was in a pigsty, and it was the same night we discussed Tony Forster's funeral arrangements and how he had spotted a naked lady walking across the campsite.
We got stuck in a different field to everyone else at the festival because someone was putting up a tent. Chris jumped out of her beetle towing the caravan and asked,
"Isn't this a road?"
"Not anymore it isn't!"
"Well… What am I supposed to do with my caravan? I can't just abandon it!"
Well… we abandoned the caravan, and I set my tent up next to it, and it was perfect… until it flooded! She made me cheese on toast for dinner one night and was worried because she hadn’t packed the spread. It was still the best cheese on toast I have ever had. We found a beautiful green dress for sale at the festival that she insisted I tried on. Unfortunately it was too small, but I think about the green dress often and I'm sure I'd still own it, if it had fit.
We went out for dinner one time soon after I got my first job. I paid for our dinner out at the Argo Lounge and had a lovely meal before I took her to Pig Dyke Molly practice one Monday night.
I saw Chris at a pub in Oundle watching some morris dancing when George was a baby. He won’t remember ever meeting Chris, but I’m glad that they got to meet. Chris is special to me, and I am so happy that my little boy got to meet her even though he won't remember.
On Saturday, I visited Chris for the last time in the hospice. I played her all of the Pig Dyke Molly tunes we used to play together. She was still and said nothing. Then her eyebrows shot up, and she spoke to me. It was the Chris I knew and loved, and in her moments of clarity, and we managed to have a conversation for almost three hours.
She knew who I was. She knew everyone who had been visiting her and what was happening. Despite being confused about where she was, the day, and the time, she mentioned her family, Tony Forster, Jan Forster, and her mum and dad. She was scared of dying but knew it was happening. We told each other that we love each other, and I told her she was safe. We held hands the whole time.
We talked about all the times we had spent together with Pig Dyke Molly, and we both laughed and smiled at the memories we had shared.
She drank some orange juice through a straw, and I suddenly remembered a tune I wrote that she had helped me name many years ago – Lager Through a Straw. I played it to her, and she was smiling and tapping her hand along. I think that's the last piece of live music she heard, the tune I had written for her.
Bella arrived, and we talked about the time the three of us went on my boat and had a lovely day out.
These memories are special, and I'll never forget Chris. She held my hand at one point and said, "Don't get hung up on me, darling girl, you need to live your life."
She always called me her darling girl. I’ll live my life, but I’ll never forget our Chris.
Before we left, she was confused again and asked, "I'm Christine Kempton?" She is. And there is no one else like her. Her infectious laugh, her drumming and percussion, her personality.
I love you, Chris. Sleep well my darling friend.
Kathryn Johnstone ~ 5th November 2025