OBITUARIES
Jean Tucker
I am writing as the daughter of Jean Tucker (ne Elliott) who has sadly passed away on 2nd May 2024. Jean trained at Guys Hospital during 1950's (think possibly qualified in 1955) and went on to do her midwifery training at the John Radcliffe in Oxford, following which she nursed overseas at the Montreal General in Canada and Christchurch Hospital, Canterbury, New Zealand. Jean was very proud of her nursing career and achievements and attended many Guys reunions keeping the bond she had with her fellow nursing friends alive - unfortunately there are no records remaining of these connections or contacts. Should anyone in this group remember Jean and wish to attend her funeral on Friday 31st May please do get in touch - service to be held at Hereford Crematorium @ 11:15am.
Stuart Cameron: I have to sadly report the death of the husband of Alison Russell, the League's last Chairman. Stuart was a world renown Professor of Renal Medicine and died recently aged 89
Margaret Gillies, aged 87
Margaret died recently following a stroke. She trained in Somerset and came to Guy's to be Sister on Queen Ward (orthopaedics) She later joined Laura Byers as Sister in Outpatients. She had sadly had dementia for the past year. She had a daughter who is informing her orthopaedic colleagues. If you can add any more to this please let me know
Andie Howard
Elizabeth Goodman, Guy's 1955 -9
Betsy Morley has told us of the death of Elizabeth who was a member of her set. She died peacefully at home on February 24th 2023 with her family around her. She attended many re-unions at Guy's including the set lunch in the Robens Suite in 2015
Jean Tuddenham,
Jean's daughter Kim has sent the following. Jean died on 17th February with her family around her having experienced a number of health issues. She was pain free right to the end. She was very proud to have trained at Guy's and her life long association with the hospital and those she trained with. Her funeral was held on 17th March 2023
Jean used to attend Betsy Morley's Wessex group - last attending in 2019. See her photo with the group on re-union reports page
Joan Cox, nee Beardow. Guy's 1949/50
Born in 1931 and brought up in East London, Joan loved her time at Guy’s. It was always a matter of great pride to her that, although she was officially ½ inch below the minimum height requirement, she persuaded the hospital entry panel that she was still a worthy candidate. Her subsequent career proved her to have been right. I don’t know for certain but I think she joined Guy’s in 1947-8. She told us that while there she participated in anti-biotic clinical trials. These left her allergic to both penicillin and streptomycin, so she may even have been involved in the Hill’s ground-breaking MRC work MRC with Streptomycin trials. In 1953 she left Guy’s having married in 1952. She went on to found her own children’s nursery, before choosing to focus on raising a family of four children. In the 1970’s she returned to nursing and joined the plastic surgery unit at Billericay. There she went on to become a member of the foundation team of St Andrew’s Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit in Billericay (now based in Broomfield, Chelmsford). She retired in in 1991 when she moved to Northampton applying her enthusiasm and hard work to her new garden. She continued to live independently in her own home until 2022.
Her funeral will take place at Nene Valley Crematorium, 305 Doddington Road, Wellingborough NN8 2NX (01933 229660) on Tuesday 31 January 2023 at 12.00GMT. Flowers or a donation to Cancer Research would be welcome, via the undertakers, Hollowells Funeral Directors, 148 Beech Avenue, Northampton NN3 2JN.
Joan's set
Joan Cox
SheelaghBailey, Guys 1961. has died suddenly but peacefully at home.
If anyone has any further information about Sheelagh please let me know
Andei
Judith Wilson nee Moulds
Guys 1955 - 1959
Judith died on April 1st 2022. She will be remembered as a great character by those who knew her.
MAVIS FABLING 19.7.30 – 14.1.22
Mavis was born in Abbey Wood, London in 1930. She had numerous memories of growing up during the war and the many hours she spent reading, particularly browsing through her parents encyclopedias which she very much enjoyed.
She loved her school years at the Haberdasher’s Aske’s School where she excelled and where her love of music and the classics was nurtured. Her wish was to attend University to study classics, but it was not to be.
Mavis began her studies at the Royal Holloway College Surrey in 1948, prior to joining Guy’s Hospital as a student nurse 5 years later.
In 1957, Mavis qualified and was awarded the Cazenove Silver Medal, presented at Prize Giving by the Duchess of Norfolk. In 1958 she started her RMN training at the Royal Holloway Sanatorium and qualified as RMN in 1960 when she was awarded the Cameron Medal, Royal Holloway’s highest honour.
In October 1965 Mavis achieved her Sister Tutor’s Diploma with distinction and special credit in practice. From there she proceeded to do a Diploma in Management Studies, which led to her achieving the post of Senior Nurse Tutor at Guy’s, responsible for all post basic training activities.
In 1973 the Intensive Care Nursing Course, created by Mavis received recognition by the Joint Board of Clinical Nursing Studies. This entitled nurses undertaking the course to receive a National Certificate.
A letter of congratulation, received from Lord Brock made Mavis particularly proud.
Following retirement, Mavis became a prominent member of the Guy’s Hospital Nurses’ League and for many years she edited the League Journal with the same level of precision and flair that one would expect from someone so talented and knowledgeable.
Mavis had many interests, music, cricket and the arts being just a few.
She was loved and admired by all those lucky enough to have known her and experienced her wonderful sense of humour, her kindness and her support.
Barbara Doust nee Forbes October 1955 set has sadlydied age 84 after a long iness.
Thelma Myrtle Carpenter (nee Folker) 1930 - 2020
When Thelma sadly passed away on the 4th July, she had lived an interesting and busy life for ninety years.
Whilst still a child, Thelma decided she would like to become a nurse and, after High School in King's Lynn, went to Guy's Hospital to train as a State Registered Nurse (1949 - 1953), which she was always very proud of. After Guy's, Thelma nursed at Adenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, and then joined the Princess Mary's R.A.F. Nursing Service (although a slipped disc led to her being discharged).
In 1964 Thelma returned to Guy's to the Nursing School for two years. Thelma attended the Guy's Hospital Nurses' League Annual Reunions for many years, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Thelma was employed in the nursing profession for forty years until retirement, aged sixty in 1990.
In 2018 Thelma returned to Norfolk to be near family. She was a much loved and loving sister, auntie and great auntie and is greatly missed by us all.
Thelma 2018 Thelma - taken by the lake at
Holmesdale 1949
August 2020 - Alison Dredge, nee McNair, Guy's 1955 died recently. She trained at Guy's from 1955 - 9. She was Lord McColl's sister-in-law and the daughter of the famous Guy's gynaecologist
Alison had suffered an oesophageal pre cancerous growth for many years requiring oesophagoscopy every 6 months. She found this very tiresome, the disease restricted her life considerably, which was why she could not attend our reunions. Last year, she said she had had about enough, and would not be bothered if she died. She was very matter of fact and she was stoic to the last.
Joy Knowles
Jean Mary Blower nee Brodie 1950 died 13th December 2019. Funeral at The church of All saints Elton on Monday 6th January 2020. Born 29 th November 1927.
Sally Hudson
Jennifer Graymore(ne Horne) Guy's 1951 died on 23rd December 2018.
She was educated at Sibford School 1943-48 and qualified as a State Registered Nurse at Guys Hospital in1954. She was a Staff Nurse at the same hospital for one year and subsequently qualified as a State Registered Midwife before taking up an appointment as Staff Nurse at Cheltenham Maternity Hospital. Here she met her future husband, Ian and they married in 1957, before eventually moving to Truro to join a group practice.They both retired in 1990 allowing Jennifer to pursue full-time her life long love of gardening. .She leaves her husband of 61 years
Dorren Stebbing, nee Ashurst, Guy's 1951 died in December 2017. Doreen was Honorary Treasurer of the League for a number of years until it closed in 2010. Doreen was the most conscientious and efficient Treasurer and managed the smooth transfer of the League Benevolent & Scholarship funds to the GSTT charity in 2010/11.
Mary Rowe: died in February 2018. Mary was the wife of Eddie Rowe, long time supporter and Special Trustee of Guy's.
Gwen Macdonald, nee Preston, 1953. Died 2016
Gwen was a regular attender at the Wessex Re-union but unfortunately just before this year's she had a fall and sustained a serious head injury from which she sadly died
Marian Hubble and Dorothy Alderton were able to attend her funera
Sept 2016 see details of Margaret Stenning on breaking news page
Mary Parkins
I am very sorry to say that Mary Parkins died on Christmas Eve after a short illness. She had been suffering from Vascular Dementia and it was a peaceful end for which all her family are thankful.
There will be a Thanksgiving Service for Mary’s life at St Michael’s Church Tenterden, Kent on Thursday January 21st at 2pm. No flowers please but donations to Mary’s memory may be made to the PDSA or Dementia UK c/o the Funeral Directions, TW Fuggle &Sons, 20 Ashford Road, Tenterden TN30 6QU, to whom all enquiries should be directed (01580 763340).
With many thanks
Anne Willis
Mary’s niece
Valerie Gertrude Brigden
Fiona Haines, a long time friend, has informed us of Valerie's death on October 26th 2015.
Valerie trained at Guy's in the early 1950s. She then completed her midwifery training at Woolwich & Poplar and worked in Essex as a District Nurse before going to Morocco as a missionary midwife. Ill health forced her to return to the UK and she returned to Woolwich as a Midwifery Sister. She later took her Midwife Teacher's Diploma and became tutor to non SRN midwifery students. She also obtained a 1st Class Honours Degree from the Open University and later became Head of the Midwifery Training School at Greenwich, seeing its transition to a University.
Jane Ann Crabbe nee Shaw
Died peacefully at home in Salisbury on 10th October 2015 aged 83. She completed her training at Guy's in 1954.
Zena Gardner
Crystal Dowsett, nee Thomas, October 1955
I am very sorry to report the sudden death of Crystal Dowsett at the beginning of August 2015. Our sympathy goes out to friends and family.
Madeline Gibson (nee Davis) 3 March 1925 to 28 October 2014
Madeline was born in south London in 1925. During the war she was evacuated with her twin sister, returning to London in 1943 to start her nurses training at Guy’s Hospital. She found the experience to be thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying, and she was a proud Guy’s graduate all her life. Madeline’s determination and undoubted abilities took her quickly through the roles of Ward Sister and Deputy Night Superintendent at Guy’s and then Deputy Matron at St Charles Hospital. On the way she qualified as a midwife and in 1962 she was appointed Assistant Nursing Officer to the Oxford Regional Board. In 1967 she became Regional Nursing Officer, a position she held up to her retirement in 1983.
On coming to Oxford, Madeline settled in the nearby village of Islip and decided to make it her home. Both before and after her retirement she was very active in village activities from the WI to the Village Hall, from the Village Club to the British Legion. And it was here that she met and married Milburn Gibson in 1977 with whom she had a very happy life for the next fourteen years. Madeline lived for nursing and for Islip. She was a determined lady, with a strong desire to contribute and much love and friendship to give. She made many friends over the years and kept in touch with most of them for the rest of her life. Over 100 came to her memorial service which was held in Islip church on November 28th. Despite the frailties of old age, Madeline managed to continue living at home up to her death as she wished, helped and supported by her good friends in the village.
Esme Few, Guy's 1947
I have been informed by her niece that Esme Few died on the 13th September 2014. Esme trained at Guy's during the war and worked for many years at the Middlesex. She was an active League member and latterly a regular attender at the Thames Valley re-union group in Oxford.
NANCY PATRICIA (PAT) MARSDEN (nee GRIFFITHS), Guy's 1946
I am informed by her son Allen, that Pat died peacefully on Friday 28th March 2014, a few days before her 90th birthday at Leighton Hospital, after a three month illness.
Pat trained at Guy's during the war. After she qualified she married her husband John and had three sons.
She resumed work in the early 1970s when she trained as a Health Visitor. Thereafter she worked as a Health Visitor, again putting her nursing skills to good use for the benefit of the local community. After she retired she continued to serve the community when became a School Governor at two primary schools.
Pat was a member of the Guy's Hospital Nurses League and was always very proud to be a Guy's nurse. She maintained contact with her fellow nurses for many years and attended several re-unions.
Her funeral took place on 10th April at the Parish Church of St James the Great, Audlem, near Crewe, Cheshire and among those present was a colleague from her Health Visiting days.
Pat is survived by her husband, John and her three sons, Julian, Adrian and Allen
MARION SCRIVEN (nee SMITH)
Marion Scriven (nee Smith) died peacefully on 1st January 2014 after a short illness. She is survived and much missed by John (also Guys MBBS) and their children Elizabeth, Jonathan and Mark (also Guys MBBS),
DOROTHY JEAN SALMON (nee GIBSON) 8th June 1933 – 16th August 2013.
Guy’s from December 1951 to January 1957
On 16th August 2013 my beloved twin sister died after a bravely fought illness lasting 6 months.
After leaving school we both went to work at The Schiff Home of Recovery at Cobham Surrey, prior to starting our training at Guy’s on 27th December 1951. There we met two girls who we are still in contact with, who later came on to Guy’s.
Known as “one of the Gibson twins”, she loved her time at Guy’s and whenever we met with friends or without, Guy’s was always mentioned in some form or another! These years left a great impression on us.
Jean followed the usual regime of training at Guy’s, interrupted only by appendicitis – nursed on Lydia by Sister Rix – and a short spell at Orpington. The highlight of her training was scrubbing for Sir Russell (later Lord) Brock and then marrying a Guy’s man Robin Salmon.
After a spell in the RAF they settled into GP life in Slough and later in High Wycombe with another Guy’s doctor John Scorey.
Jean served on the Guy’s Nurses League Committee for many years and was a regular helper at the Guy’s Flower Shop when that existed! She attended Guy’s reunions in both Oxford and Cambridge areas.
Jean was a wonderful wife, mother and sister, full of fun and a good friend to us all. We miss her terribly.
Elizabeth Lachlan (Twin).
Barbara Stevenson (Stevie)
Stevie died at the end of July 2013 aged approx 93. Stevie held many League posts including Hon Assistant Secretary, Chairman, Journal editor and Vice President. Her neices would like a memorial service for her at Guy's sometime in the future so watch this space for details
Freda Curtis, Guys 1947, died on August 8th 2013. She had lived in Court Lodge, Pennington, Hants for some years.
Molly Pentland (nee Harvey) Guy's 1937
Molly died suddenly but peacefully in Oxford on March 27th 2013 aged 95yrs. Her lively mind and stories from the past entertained us all. Enquiries to her son Patrick Pentland - Tel: 01865 735229
Rachel Townsin 4.9.22 - 19.3.13
Rachel died peacefully at Woodcote Grove House, owned by Friends of the Elderly, where she has lived for the last few years. Rachel worked in Matron's Office and was Betty Herbert's secretary. She first came to League meetings to assist Betty when she became Chairman but she had helped in the League Office for over 30 years. She was made an Honorary member and regularly attended Council meetings until it closed in 2010.
The provisional date for the funeral is 11th April - for further details please contact the Manager of the Home on 020 8660 2531.
No flowers but donations may be sent to either St. Peter’s Church, Woodmansterne or St. Andrews church, Coulsdon, where the service will be held.
The picture with the (now previous)Archbishop of Canterbury was taken when he visited the home as part of the charity's centenary celebrations.
Thelma Wright
I wonder if anyone remembers Thelma Wright? I see from the League report that she started at Guys in 1946. Thelma was a tiny red-haired lady with a lot of personality who agreed to join the Scottish local group of the GHNL when we started it some years ago.
Thelma Wright was at Guys for quite some time. I think she must have been in the same set as Betty Herbert as she was upset not to have heard when she died as they had kept in touch over the years. After completing her training at Guys, Thelma stayed on as a Sister until she left to work in America and, while there I think she must have completed her psychiatric training as she, later, returned to Guys and was Sister in charge of York Clinic.
Thelma never came to our lunches but one or two of us used to visit her as, by this time, she was totally blind and living alone in a flat near Holyrood. She was a joy to visit and chat with so we were very sad that she was never well enough to join us for lunch before she died last year. it would be lovely to hear from anyone who knew her rather better than we did.
KN.
15.1.13
Heather Smith (Harloe) Guy's 1956
Heather died peacefully, on Jan 10th 2013, at home in Gloucestershire after a short illness.
She had been a caring nurse, a respected magistrate and a committed member of her community alongside being a much loved wife and mother.
Heather's cheerfulness and enthusiasm at the Thames Valley reunion group lunches will be missed by us all.
Robert Kempster, Guy's Chaplain from 1970s for many years
Robert Kempster has died suddenly but peacefully at home on 27th May 2012, aged 82.
For details of the funeral; in Devon, please contact Funeral Directors, Kevin Lack, on 01803 313200
Joan Cradock, Guy's 1946
Joan died on 27th April 2012. She completed her general training in at Guy's 1946 and went to Great Ormond Street to train in paediatrics before emigrating to Canada. She had a full and interesting career, including the setting up of a children's wing in a hospital in Indore, India. Jean was disabled for the final years of her life but maintained her great love of Guy's. She requested that the Guy's prayer be read at her funeral, along with an excerpt from the Valedictory speech given by the retiring secretary, Miss Bridges, of the International Congress of Nurses in Melbourne, Australia in April 1961. Jean attended this conference representing Guy's and with support from the Nurses League
Sarah Henderson, nee Irvine ( also known as Nancy)
Sarah was born in June 1920 at the Curragh,
The family moved to
Sarah excelled at horse-riding and other sports, representing
She also had an interest in plants and almost trained in horticulture but decided to follow a nursing career instead.
Sarah trained as a nurse at Guys hospital in
During the war she served in the Royal Navy nursing corps , and was on troop ships going to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka ), Panama Canal, Australia, New Zealand and India .
Later in the war she was stationed at Naval barracks in
After the war she continued her nursing career and then moved to
She then became nursing sister in the sanatorium at
In early 1964 the family moved to Drax in
In 1973 they moved to
Later Sarah resumed her nursing career, becoming night sister at
She became the nursing sister at Bramcote school (where Peter taught) in the late 1970s / early 1980s.
In retirement she befriended housebound elderly people who she visited and also joined one of the house groups of St James’s congregation.
She worshipped at St James’s church in
Sarah had two grand-daughters Emily and Olivia.
In 2002 she and Peter moved to Rambla Nursing home and he died there in 2003. The staff at the Rambla all express great fondness and had many fun times with her.
Sarah’s Interests were gardening, the countryside and animals especially horses.. She loved visiting
She also supported Peter in his career as a school teacher and headmaster, as well as in his cricketing pursuits during family holidays.
Whilst reflecting on Sarah’slife the themes that emerge include:
- An Interest in young people.
- A caring nature – nursing career and looking after Peter when his health declined.
- A sense of duty.
- She was a always ‘jolly’
- She was positive, enthusiastic, witty and fun loving.
- She was dedicated to her family
Sarah died on 13th September 2011
Elizabeth Gretchen Boyd(Betty) nee McIntosh; Guy's 1932
The funeral for the late Betty Boyd took place on July 15th 2010 at the Surrey and Sussex Crematorium with a simple spray of summer flowers from the family by her request. She had organised her own funeral and had insisted that no black be worn. In lieu of fowers, donations were sent to Great Ormond Street Hospital where her eldest son David had received such care when diagnosed with polio in 1946.
Betty was ninety-six and three quarters years young and was born in Edgebaston on August 19th 1913, the only child of Dorothy and Archibald McIntosh. Sadly her father died when she was not quite two and her mother was left to cope alone. She attended boarding school at Weybridge and Salisbury from the age of five until seventeen and then went on to finishing school in Switzerland. She started at Guy's in 1932.
Betty marrried Richard Boyd in 1939 at St Mildred's in South East London, where they lived, bringing up four children. She also worked full time as a health visitor and then as a Nursing Officer for the London Borough of Southwark; finally retiring as Chief Nursing Officer for the Dept of Health for the area of the West Midlands.
Latterly Betty and her husband moved Crawley, West Sussex to be near their family. Betty was widowed in 1998. At the time of her death Betty lived at Abbeyfield Care Home in Horsted Keynes. Her nursing memories of Guy's was printed in the 2009 Journal. She is survived by her four children, Jill, David, Sarah and Gus and her ten grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren plus three more arriving later this year.
Sarah Benton (daughter)
