Irene Violet Magold (11 Feb 1931 - 29 Dec 2018)

In loving memory of Irene Violet Magold who sadly passed away on 29th December 2018.

Our mum, Irene (Rene) was born at Dombey House, Bermondsey, in February 1931 to Vi and Bill Shand. Irene (which means "Peace") was the oldest of three children.

Growing up in Rye Buildings, Rotherhithe, our mum was evacuated at the outbreak of WWII to Polgate in East Sussex, but only spent a few months way. As mum used to say..."when I arrived back home, my dad was still sticking the tape across the windows"! During the Blitz mum met the King and Queen on a visit to the area and was in Albion Street on "Black Saturday" September 7th 1940, the first day of the Blitz. She even remembered seeing the planes flying over and all the docks alight from her bedroom window.

In the early 1940's mum contracted polio and was sent to Queen Mary's in Carshalton, Surrey, where she spent three years under their care of Sister Truswell (who she kept a photo of all her life). Returning to Rotherhithe, mum stayed at school until the age of 14, looking after her mother who was expecting her younger brother, Peter.

Starting work at 14 as a machinist for Glenley and Hartley and then The Adastra in Tower Bridge Road, mum, made clothes for the Young Prince Charles, having to sow a Harrods label into the clothing, when it was made in Bermondsey!

Mum married Walter Magold in 1952 at St. James's Church, Bermondsey, and they remained together until our dad passed away at he age of 59.

In the summer of 1957 the first of their three son's, Steven was born, followed by myself (Gary) and Christopher. The family moved from Tracy Bungalows (where St. James's School in Old Jamaica Road now stands) across the road where mum lived to the very end.

Working at St. Michaels School as a cleaner mum loved working with her colleagues, enjoyed bingo, days out and time spent with her expanding family. In the late 1990's grandchildren arrived.

Later years were plagued with various health issues, but mum refused to give up, having hip and knee replacements to help her carry on. Pain on a daily basis was the norm, but she tried her best to get around. It can be fair to say that her last year was not a happy one, becoming more infirm and spending greater lengths of time in hospital.

Our beloved mum passed away peacefully on 29th December 2018 with my brothers and I with her. Her passing has left us heartbroken. Mum was as she described herself "... a Bermondsey Girl", and her passing has left a huge vacant space in our lives.

As I mentioned at the start, "Irene" means peace, and that is exactly where she is, at peace, reunited with our father and those that have gone before that loved her too.