Born in Greenwich in 1930 Margaret was the youngest of a large family in a busy household, with seven sisters and five brothers.
She was evacuated to Dorset during the war, but returned home before the end, only for the family to lose their home when a bomb fell in the garden of the house next door. The family moved to Colliers Wood, where shortly afterwards at the age of 14 Margaret met Cyril at a youth club dance, Margaret went to work as a typist in offices in London’s west end, and she and Cyril became engaged when she was sixteen, before Cyril went off to do his National Service. They married in 1950 and set up home in Balham. Their first child Graham was born in 1953, and then Hazel in 1956, then a little gap before, (after the family had moved to Peckham,) Clive came along in 1969. Family life continued, and they moved to Surbiton in 1974. Margaret and Cyril enjoyed their shared love of dancing and would go to a dance club regularly, and Margaret enjoyed her garden, but most of all they enjoyed spending time with their family, first their children, then the grandchildren Angela and James, and more recently Calum and Jessica.
As the years went by Margaret was saddened by the loss of her brothers and sisters, and she was the last of this once large family,
but she found comfort with Cyril and her own family.
The last couple of years were more difficult, as towards the end of 2008 Margaret became ill, she had to give up the dancing she had always loved, and even the garden was a struggle, although she really tried hard to keep it going , but she still managed to take pleasure in spending time with her family, celebrating birthdays and days out together, none more so than celebrating with Cyril their 60th wedding anniversary last year, surrounded by family and friends.
This last year she has fought her illness with courage and dignity but in the end it was just too much for her.
We are all so proud of our brave beautiful mum.
Graham, Hazel, and Clive
