Marjorie Edith Tomlins (12 Mar 1920 - 20 Dec 2020)

In loving memory of Marjorie Edith Tomlins
who sadly passed away on Sunday 20th December 2020
Aged 100 years

Marjorie was born Marjorie May, in Portsmouth on the 12th of March 1920. She was the middle child of 5 siblings, a bright girl who, when she left school, was employed as a book keeper and worked for Boots the Chemist for a while.

In 1939 she married Ted Tomlins. She was 19 years old, he was a 35-year-old widower, in the Royal Navy, and about to go off to War. When Ted went away, her family sent her to live with relatives in Cornwall to avoid the bombing of Portsmouth. There she used her booking keeping and numeracy skills to secure a job drawing up the wages of the soldiers in the local Army Camp.

Marjorie saw very little of Ted over the next 6 years - whose job took him away for long stretches of time. The married couple would only reunite for brief periods when Ted was on leave in England. In 1943, her first daughter Patricia was born.

When the war ended, Marjorie had moved to Woodside in Wigmore and Ted had been posted to Malta. She decided to join Ted in Malta. By this time Patricia was aged 4 and her second child Diana was 9 months. The journey on board the ship was long and difficult with two young children but Marjorie was a strong and resilient woman!

They spent three and a half years together in Malta before Marjorie took the children home to Wigmore for the sake of their schooling. Ted remained in Malta to continue his service in the Navy. The family spent 6 years with occasional brief visits from him until he retired from active service at the age of 50.

Domesticity was never enough for Marjorie, she joined the Red Cross and rose through the ranks to Acting Commandant. This led to a voluntary post to assist the District Nurses on their rounds.

While living at Woodside, Marjorie managed a very large garden. She was an avid gardener and did tests and trials of seeds for the Henry Doubleday Trust, a horticultural society. She was also a dedicated (and passionate) wine maker and won several first prizes at her wine club. She would often regale her grandchildren with stories of her winning rose wine and the looks of horror on the men’s faces when a woman took first prize, multiple years running. She never lost her love of wine and even at the grand old age of 100 was still rather partial to a glass or two of red with the Sunday roast (only the good stuff, of course).

Marjorie was involved with the Church for many years and once she took a young, newly arrived vicar, Harry Cole and his wife Beryl under her wing. She also took on the role of secretary for St Matthews Church Hall for many years. This connection to the church led to many, lifelong friendships that have seen her through to her great age.
In 1960, Marjorie gave birth to her third (and final) daughter Amanda. Ted, who had left the navy by this point, decided to delay his retirement from a clerical position he had taken up within the Ministry of Defence. Marjorie then decided when Amanda was 10, that she too would return to work. She started working for the civil service and rose quickly through the ranks. By the time she herself retired at the age of 60 she had been promoted to the post of Executive Officer, and held a great deal of responsibility.

Sadly, Marjorie’s Eldest daughter Patricia died at the age of 37 following complications from Multiple Sclerosis. Over the years her three daughters provided her with six grandchildren and six great grandchildren. All of whom remained engaged and involved with their Nana until the end.

Soon after Ted died in 1985, Marjorie moved from Woodside to a much more suitable bungalow in Campleshon Road. There she lived happily, enjoying her family, and her garden for the next 35 years.

In later years she very much enjoyed the Bible study groups, which she ran, where she made some very good friends. The groups were held at Marjorie’s house as she got older.

Marjorie celebrated her 100th Birthday in March just before the Lockdown at a party with many friends and family. It takes a certain stoic resilience to live to the age of 100 and have lived through all that she had, fortunately my nana had this in bucket loads and it is this, amongst many other things, that we will miss greatly about her.

She will be deeply missed by her loving family and friends.
Donations in memory of Marjorie for the
'MS Society'
may be sent c/o John Weir Funeral Directors,
31 Parkwood Green,
Rainham,
Kent.
ME8 9PW
or they can be made via this tribute page