Margaret Crocker (29 Nov 1928 - 26 Oct 2024)

MARGARET LILIAN CROCKER

Passed away peacefully at Beaumont Court, North Petherwin (formally of Trecarrell, Launceston), on 26th October 2024 aged 95 years. Beloved Wife of David (deceased), much loved Mum to Andy, Nick, Sara and their families.

Funeral Service at Glynn Valley Crematorium, Bodmin on Thursday 21st November 2024 at 1:30pm. Family flowers only, donations if desired for Cat’s Protection League (Launceston Branch), by retiring collection, c/o G F Gubbin Funeral Directors, Penlaurel, Launceston, PL15 8NL, 01566 785340, or online using JustGiving via the link at the top of this page.

Margaret Lilian Crocker (nee Down)
29th November 1928 – 26th October 2024.

How do you sum up 95, almost 96 years in a few minutes? Well, you can’t, but I hope to give you a favour of the person who was Margaret, our Mum. She was of course too, a mother in law, a daughter, sister, wife, sister-in-law, cousin, aunt, grandmother, friend, neighbour, and in the last year even a great grandmother. And probably some things I’ve forgotten about too.
Mum was born Margaret Lilian Down on 29th November 1928 to Marjorie and Reg Down in Westward Ho!, North Devon. A place she would hold dear to her heart throughout her life. A place also that the family quickly came to love and continue to do so.
Reg worked in Appledore Shipyard, and the family also had a chandlery shop for a time in Appledore. He was a keen sailor, golfer, and played a full part in the local community. Marjorie was a part of the White family that had a bakery business in Westward Ho!
Reg and Marjorie also had a son Tony who was a much loved younger brother for Margaret. He predeceased her a few years ago.
Growing up in the early 1930’s was rather an idyllic time, but not without its challenges. She developed while little more than a toddler tuberculosis in her knee which required an operation and a lengthy convalescence in Exeter. She also had a squint that required an operation, again in Exeter. Throughout her life she would reminisce about these periods away from Westward Ho!, and how she looked forward to the weekend visits from her Mum and Dad.
Growing up in Westward Ho! gave her a love of the sea, where she would spend many hours swimming, and body boarding, with those old wooden boards that are now back in fashion. They would often have outings in Reg’s boat from Appledore across the estuary to Crow Point, and Instow.
Margaret went to Northam Primary school where she excelled academically. Aged 11 she passed the 11 plus and won a scholarship to Edgehill Girls school in Bideford. She would cycle the three miles each way from Westward Ho! Although not being particularly sporty she played netball, tennis, and hockey for the school.
This coincided with the out break of the Second World War. A period of course that had a profound effect on everyone who lived through it. Margaret was no different, and the family endured the deprivations of rationing, and other war time restrictions. The beach at Westward Ho! was cordoned off and mined. During the war the family’s house Cranleigh was let out to army officers stationed in the area, and the family moved into the hut in the garden. I have seen photographs of it, and while not being a garden shed, life must still have had its challenges.
Margaret would often tell us about the American soldiers stationed in the area with their chocolate and chewing gum for the kids. There were also Italian prisoners of war, who worked in the fields on local farms. Then, the eery silence when all the troops suddenly left to take part in the D Day landings. She recalled feeling very sad, as she was old enough to know many of them would not be returning home.
At 16 she took and passed her school certificate. This led to what her mother Marjorie described as a respectable civil service job as a Tax Officer with the Inland Revenue in its Bideford office. While training this often-entailed trips away, particularly to London for courses.
With free time in the evenings Margaret would attend West End plays and musicals, that were to give her a love of theatre that would last a lifetime. She and her fellow course members would wait by the stage door at the end of a show to greet the stars and get autographs. One she was particularly proud of was American Hollywood star Howard Keel who was staring in the musical Oklahoma. Those of you under 60 I suggest you Google him!
She also enjoyed holidays to the south of France, and Italy, visiting Rome, and Capri among many places.
While at first sight Magaret may have appeared rather shy, she did enjoy her social life, and dancing in particular. She was known to enter Westward Ho! carnival, and even came second in a beauty contest one year! It was a love of dancing that would soon play a big part in forming the rest of her life.
The Inland Revenue at that time didn’t like staff to remain in one office too long, and Margaret was transferred to the Launceston office. The 85 bus would be the regular means of transport to get to and from home. During the week Margaret lodged in Priory Park.
However, it wasn’t long before Margaret began to enter into the Town’s social scene. In particular, Miss Negus’s old time dance classes, and dances in the town, and surrounding villages.
It was at one of these dances that she was introduced to a young postman by the name of Dave Crocker, who’s family had been evacuated to Launceston from Plymouth during the war. It wasn’t long before romance blossomed on the dance floor. They attended dances together, and without transport it wasn’t unknown for them to walk to and from places like South Petherwin to attend a dance.
Margaret and Dave were married in 1955 at the Congregational Chapel in Northam, near Bideford. Their first son Andy arrived in 1957, to be followed by Nick in 1959, and daughter Sara in 1962. As was the trend in those days with my (Andy’s) arrival Margaret gave up work in the Tax Office to become a full-time housewife, and mother.
At first, they moved into a flat at Roseneath on Tavistock Road in Launceston, before moving to a bungalow on Hurdon Road. Their final move was to 29 Trecarrell, which was to become the family’s home for over 60 years. It had a large garden, shrubs to the front, and a vegetable patch to the back. Here Margaret and Dave could indulge in their love of gardening, and provide a happy home for their growing family, and friends.
Looking back it provided an ideal environment to forge friendships, and the sense of community was palpable. Andy, Nick, and Sara were all seen through primary, and secondary school, Windmill, and Launceston College respectively, and into the outside world.
Nearby, Coronation Park and its open-air swimming pool played a big part in our lives. Margaret taught us all to swim, and in later life the heated leisure centre pool was a regular haunt for Margaret, and in due course with her grandchildren Jenna, Nathan, Will, Tom, Laura, and Emily too.
Coronation Park was also the venue for walking the family’s Jack Russell terrier Sandy. Now Margaret and the family had a love hate relationship with Sandy. He was inherited from Dave’s sister Dorothy, when she emigrated to Australia, and his training was somewhat lacking. He once pinned Margaret, in a corner in the kitchen, and wouldn’t let her go. However, over time he did mellow, and become a welcome addition to the family. Margaret soon grew a new circle of dog walking friends, though as often is the case the dogs were known by name, but not their owners.
Dave graduated from being a postman to work on the post office counter, but with just a just a single income we didn’t have a lot of money for expensive holidays. However, Margaret’s parents still lived in Westward Ho!, and numerous summer holidays growing up were spent with them, enjoying the beach, swimming, and surfing. Oh, and I mustn’t forget the penny arcades too!
Margaret and Dave’s love of gardening led them to becoming lifelong members of the National Trust, and many family day trips were to visit properties both local, and further afield.
Their favourite holiday destination was the Isles of Scilly where they would have many happy holidays, with family, and more often as a couple. Tropical gardens, boat trips, wildlife watching, walking, and local theatrical shows were a constant theme of these holidays.
It was here while on holiday in 1989 that Dave was to sadly suddenly pass away following a heart attack. And so was to begin a period of widowhood that was to last longer than her marriage to her beloved Dave. However, Margaret was to embrace widowhood, even returning to the Isles of Scilly for holidays with grandchildren, and even as a solo traveller.
Home, the garden, local library, swimming, and entertaining her grandchildren were to become the mainstays of her life. Even at times to the extent of giving grandson Nathan, who is diabetic his insulin injections.
The sense of community within Trecarrell was a great source of comfort to her as were her cats. Judith Priest, Betty Isleib, and Rhona Keighly were very close neighbours and friends. Some of the cats, Luna, Huxley, and Toby seemed to alternate living between Margaret and Judith at No. 27. It was understandable as the four of them, the ladies not the cats, would often share a cuppa, and put the world to rights. Margaret, Judith, and Betty are probably up there now looking down on us with a cuppa, and a cat on their laps.
More recently in Trecarrell Margaret was delighted to see a new generation of families arriving with their own growing families. It was always reassuring to us a family that they all looked out for one another.
Latterly Margaret sadly began to develop dementia, but with the support of family, the watchful eye of caring neighbours, and eventually daily carers she continued to live in her own home.
Her dry sense of humour remained with her. Just one example aged 92 and on being taken to Launceston College for a Covid jab. After she had to sit and wait a while in an area with others who’d also been inoculated. Margaret wanted to go straight home and rather loudly announced to all, “Why do I have to wait here with all these old people!”? Aged 92 I ask you! There are a couple of other stories in relation to hospital admissions, that I won’t recount now. Ask me after if you like!
As Mum’s dementia progressed, we entrusted her care to the wonderful staff at Beaumont Court Care home in North Petherwin. Thus began the final chapter in Margaret’s life The family became regular weekly visitors to see Margaret. We also developed friendships with the caring staff, and other residents. The wider North Petherwin community also played a part in our lives as Beaumont is firmly rooted in the local community.
It was while at Beaumont that Margaret got to meet her great-grandson, Axel. It’s thought provoking to think that there was almost a century difference in their ages.
Margaret made an impression at Beaumont with both fellow residents and staff. One staff member said to me, they will miss her smile, dry sense of humour, and singing, not always in tune, that kept them all amused and entertained.
Thank you Mum for always being there for us!