Born in 1902 the eldest of five and dying in her hundredth year, she lost her adored Father at the Battle of the Somme. She loved her Mother, three sisters and brother dearly but also felt it was her mission to both direct them as well as to provide succour and care whenever needed.
readmoreDevoted yet extremely combative to her husband of 49 years, she nursed him to recovery through two strokes. But her attitude to him could be combative and piano duets for them were often areas of internecine warfare as were political discussions.
Although physically slight, reticence was not part of her makeup, she always had a point of view and could be relied on to express it forcefully.
An excellent cook, dressmaker, amateur dance director, hairdresser and embroiderer . In fact she succeeded in most things she undertook with two notable exceptions no matter how hard she tried she could never balance on a bicycle nor could she drive a car despite 36 lessons :
A life time interest in ballet had her queuing 8 hours at a time for tickets an interest nourished by her time as an employee of the Aeolian Co where she encountered the great and the good of the operatic and musical world and received many invitations for first nights.
In middle years she taught herself to paint both in oils and watercolours and developed an interest in photography much to the irritation of her family who were required to pose and arrange themselves and then remain still for what seemed hours. She taught herself Dutch result of her husbands’ friendship with Dutch colleagues in the trade union movement, unfortunately she never had any experience of speaking it and was mortified to find when in Holland she couldn’t utter a word though she could write it quite well.
A great enthusiasm was a collection of Victorian Domestic servants which she made out of pegs, all authentic for what ever she did she researched well.
In the 22 years of her widowhood she made frequent trips to the US to visit her son and family and illustrated for the interest of her young grandaughters a story of their life. A throw back to the days as the eldest child she would write plays for her siblings and persuade them to act them.
She decided at the age of 92 after living alone and looking after herself with a little help, to move into a residential home near her daughter, where she made many friends amongst the carers and other residents. Sadly she declined physically and suffered memory loss in her last 2 years, but still very grateful for the loving care she received, for the most part enjoying her food and visitors, stoical about the indignities that extreme old age brings.
As her daughter of 70 years and son of 63 we feel well qualified to say she was never dull, always opinionated extremely loyal and however infuriating left one enriched by the experience of just knowing her.