Winston Elstob

January 5, 1927 – May 15, 2012

Pacific Grove – Winston Page Elstob, widely known locally for his activism and as a Dickens scholar, died peacefully in the presence of his family on May 15th.

The son of English emigrant parents, Winston was born in Flushing, Long Island, New York. Sent to England to live with relatives, he received his early schooling there. Over the years, a love for England and things English took over much of his heart, and it remained there all his days.

When WW II broke out, he was sent back to the States. Upon reaching his sixteenth birthday, he tried to enlist but was rejected. He persuaded a New York Senator to get him an exemption from the age requirement and then joined the Merchant Marines.

In 1948, he responded to England’s lifelong pull and made the trip to England. There, on what he later termed “the luckiest day of my life,” he met Joan Melody Coxeter. Shortly afterward, the two married and hitchhiked through France - typical of their independent, avant garde, adventurous thinking. They lived in London for eight years before moving to Carmel.

Winston’s fervent patriotism, fused to his scholarly bent, is reflected in a lifetime of achievement. Early on, he worked with Seaside Mayor Steve Ross to fight the War on Poverty and with California farm workers to fight for decent work conditions and a living wage. Whenever a peace rally occurred in Monterey County, he was there. He was a founder of Californians Against State Executions (CASE) and a leader of its all-night protest vigil outside the Monterey County Courthouse. He was one of the founders of Monterey County’s Green Party. For the last twenty years, he has been a key figure in the growth of Saint Mary’s Social Concerns program, aimed at feeding those who are hungry.

Nor was his compassionate heart devoted solely to political causes. He was a member of Pacific Grove’s ADA—Americans with Disabilities Act –Advisory Committee. Until recently, he served on the Pacific Grove traffic commission. In 1976, he was the guiding force behind the Bicentennial reenactment of the Anza Expedition. With the late Helen Shopshire, he conducted tours of Cannery Row and the Monterey Peninsula. He was one of the founders of the Monterey Peninsula Dickens Fellowship. He was the author of “Chinatown – a Legend of Old Cannery Row” and the anthologist of “Birds,” a collection of poems and prose.

A warm, loving, loyal man who invariable took action on behalf of his family, his political passions, his church, his community and his country, Winston faced adversity with courage throughout his life. He and his family were especially hard hit by the loss of Sally, his teenage daughter, in 1967.

In addition to his beloved wife, Joan, he leaves his children: Benjamin (Susie), Mark (Erin) and Christopher; his grandchildren: Derrick (Sara), Andrew (Helen), Olivia Cabrera (Andres), Chelsea (Steve), Winston and Holden. And his great granddaughter: Melody.

A public memorial service will be held at Saint Mary’s Church on Tuesday, May 22 at 11:00 a.m., with a reception to follow. Donations to Saint Mary’s Social Concerns are suggested.