Dear Barbara, colleague and friend for 42 years. Apart from natural ageing, not changing at all. A lady in all sense of the word, hair set each week, nails beautifully manicured and face powder compact always ready to powder the her nose..
Barbara loved singing, playing badminton, (in her younger days) and holidays, she enjoyed dressing up for dinner especially on the cruises, enjoying a glass or two or three of wine.
Barbara was a caring daughter and very proud of her dads involvement restoring the Siege House in Colchester after it had been damaged by bullets in the Second World War.
There are so many memories of Barbara, the following are just a few.
Barbara was my partner teaching Year 2 children for many years. she always had a nature table in the classroom for the children to look at...she was the oracle of all knowledge when it came to naming plants and trees, something I knew very little about. She loved to read stories to children, the story Little Squirrel Nutkin was a favourite for many years along with a song of the same name.
Barbara rarely got cross and only once did she not talk to Christine and me for a few days.....we re-vamped her classroom, taking out the piano that was out of tune and not used was the biggest sin, we also took out the unused equipment, she didn’t notice that!!! She didn’t like the new labels either.....
At lunchtimes Barbara would teach children to play the recorder and hand bells, the children had to wear white gloves to touch the bells, woe betide anyone who touched them without the gloves....
Technology wasn’t a strong point for Barbara. In the 80’s we all had a BBC computer in our classrooms, Barbara’s looked brand new even after a few years as it sat in the corner covered in a lace tablecloth and a vase of plastic flowers to brighten it up......however in recent years she was an ace with her I-phone, ordering clothes on line, then they just arrived!!!
School trips with the children were fun, going to the woods, seaside, town, farms to name but a few... getting drenched however was no fun, remembering a very wet trip to Harwich where we had to shelter at the cinema due to the torrential rain...this story was one Barbara talked about for many years, getting so wet, even her knickers.....
Even after she retired Barbara volunteered at Montgomery going ‘to work’ twice a week supporting children with their reading. She was part of the furniture and supported all that we did for the children and staff, she attended all the events bringing along her famous lemon meringue pie.
Barbara had a role of ‘entertainment manager ‘ and made sure that staff and retired staff had the opportunity to meet for coffee or lunch, she organised trips to the Mercury Theatre to see the Operatic Shows which I performed in.
Barbara loved her time at Montgomery and with her good friend Margaret became part of the Monty Girls team. they both enjoyed going to a ‘Sally’ night!!!! Fun.....
I loved to tease Barbara and our relationship was so strong that I got away with it even calling her ‘Babs’ which she hated. those times will remain very special to me.
Barbara was a good friend to many. The past few months have been difficult, but the daily phone calls to her, I know cheered her up and kept her in the loop as to what was happening. She always asked after my family and colleagues she knew.
God bless you .....Lady Barbara of Lexden and always a Monty Girl
Love always
Sally xx