She started life as Edith Hilda Birch, on twelfth of June 1918, four months before the end of the first world war. Her early years were spent in a comfortable home in Gillingham but after her father was made redundant, she and her family were uprooted when he purchased a sweetshop in the east end of London and then much to the family’s disgust, installed them in the flat above the shop. After school, a time Mum talked little about suffice to say she was happy to leave, she continued life in London until the Blitz when she was evacuated to Calne in Wiltshire, she soon returned to the City and took a job with the BBC putting together news stories for radio broadcast. This is where she met her life-long friend and fellow crossword addict Gwen, who became Godmother to us children. Through her early-married life apart from her children Mum enjoyed many outside interests. In the early sixties, she learned to drive while working for the Civil Defence. Some of my earliest memories are of this diminutive lady, 5ft 1½ inches the half inch was very important, driving a huge Comma ambulance. The Girl Guides became a passion with Corinne and Lesley both enthusiastic members of the group that Mum captained. On the odd occasion I was even dragged along to summer camp in the New Forest. There was I in the midst of thirty girls, aged between 11 and 16, being overseen by my big sisters. Oh what fun? In 1970 Mum bought a hairdressing salon in Hythe, refitted and re-named, Beyond the Fringe after the Cambridge Footlights review. It was managed by Corinne with Mum sitting quietly behind the reception desk taking bookings and counting the cash. By 1973 Mum decided to emulate her father, and uprooted the whole family from a modern, comfortable house into the draughty old flat above the salon. Mum was never one to take criticism lying down. One time when the salon was in full flow, a woman complained that a perm she had had, had only taken on half of her head, when it was explained that this was not the case, she took her complaint to the BBC’s consumer programme, That’s Life. Esther Rantzen obligingly included the item on Sunday evenings programme. Mum was having none of it. The following week she took out a large add in the local newspaper – Beyond The Fringe as seen on BBC TV, half a perm for half the price! She always knew how to get the last laugh, even against the BBC! Although she was never a hairdresser, Mum was ever the business woman and with one salon up and running she soon eyed another in Blackfield which she turned into a thriving and successful venture. After 27 years of marriage Mum had decided to go it alone. The salons provided an income and something to keep her busy, her maisonette in Hythe, a cosy retreat, but even that was not enough. A member at Ampfield Golf Club, she was, at various stages, lady captain, secretary and her personal favourite, treasurer. As with everything she did, her family was also involved organising parties and various social events at the club. Mum only gave up golf when walking became difficult but she struggled on regardless for a few years as a non-playing member and treasurer. As the years drew on and the drive to the golf club became too much for her, she looked for interests closer to home. This she found at the Cussens day centre, not half a mile from her home. But although she was by now in her late seventies, she was there as a helper, not a visitor. This was great cause for amusement as more than half of the people under her care were considerably younger than her. That, being insufficient for her need she also joined the U3A and once again she got involved with things becoming secretary and treasurer at different times and is remembered for selling raffle tickets with great gusto. We all have great memories of Mum. Her great appetite for Oriental food and particularly her love of Chinese spare ribs. Although she enjoyed a good meal, it was usually a way of getting to her favourite bit – the pudding. Quiet moments were often spent at Lepe, where she would go with Gwen to sit and watch the world go by, and of course do the crossword. No matter how stubborn you are, time will eventually catch up. In latter times with her increasing health problems, she became more tied to her home. Many times she had recourse to use the NHS, each time her children wondering if it was to be the last, and each time she came home. It had almost become so routine, when the end did come, we were taken by surprise. But even then the managerial nature of Mum ensured that we were all present, holding on to her right to the very end. One of her final statements, when asked if there was anything more we could do, was “Yes, you can kiss my ….er, backside……. A great sense of humour to the end. This is not a time for sadness, we must celebrate that we all had the good fortune to have known Mum. It is a great comfort to us to know she touched so many lives with her kindness and humour.