Page 62 - QARANC Vol 14 No 9 2014

60 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Margaret Powell Gray
25th October 1931 - 22nd May 2014
Margaret was born on 25th October 1931 in Edgbaston, where her father was the Manager of the main Birmingham branch of the Westminster Bank – the most important branch outside London. The harsh realty of depression gripped the country and Margaret later remembered her father saying that her arrival was the only good thing to happen in 1931.
Her brother Alec was 13 years old and a scholar at Winchester when she was born, so both were brought up largely as only children.
When she was 3, the family moved to Crowborough in Sussex so her mother could care for her grandmother. It was here that Margaret discovered the joys of walking on the Downs and in the bluebell woods – a love for the natural world, which she retained throughout her life.
With the Battle of Britain being fought in the skies above Kent and Sussex, and Hitler threatening invasion, her parents thought Crowborough unsafe for a young girl. In September 1940, at the age of 8, Margaret was put on an evacuee ship SS Rangitata from Liverpool as part of an Atlantic convoy, for the long journey via Panama to New Zealand. Margaret remembered hearing the explosions which sunk the City of Benares just behind their own convoy, which tragically killed 93 evacuee children.
Margaret was to live with an old friend of her parents who she had never met before. The Dean of Dunedin and his family were kindness personified but they were elderly and childless. This must have been a lonely and traumatic experience for a young girl. She did however, make some very good friends in New Zealand and much enjoyed her time at St Hilda’s school.
Margaret returned to England at the age of 13 to complete her education at Whincroft School in Crowborough, where she overcame her dyslexic difficulties to pass her exams.
In 1950 Margaret decided to train as a nurse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, which turned out to be an inspired choice. Her nursing career went from strength to strength, as she began to specialize in theatre. After spending a short period in Philadelphia, Margaret returned to England, with nursing posts in Epsom and Queen Mary’s, Roehampton.
Margaret joined the Territorial Army in 1963 and served in 217(L) General Hospital RAMC(v) and was awarded the TD in 1975. Attained the rank of Lt Colonel and in 1978 she was appointed Matron a post she held until 1982. Margaret was awarded the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps “Royal Red Cross, 1st Class” in 1983.
She was an active member of the Association and attended many social events.
In 1970 Margaret was appointed to the post of Senior Nursing Officer in Theatre in Portsmouth and then later in Penbury, near Crowborough. Her final position at the top of the nursing tree, was as Director of Nursing Services in Epsom with responsibility for 7 hospitals. Through her work in the NHS she helped to make an enormous amount happen for the better, for generations of people.
She was selfless in her desire to help others and gave her time freely over many years to help in the community, both at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and helping in old peoples homes.
Throughout life, until her last 5 years, she had a multitude of passionate interests and pursuits;
Margaret had a knack of making a great deal of diverse friendships, she was a welcome Bridge partner with a keen brain. She enjoyed the theatre and supported the arts in Chichester as well as the National Trust, where for many years she assisted as a steward at Uppark.
Margaret with brother Alec
She enjoyed travel, and never needed to be persuaded to join friends in distant lands. She loved travelling and meeting people of different cultures.
As a keen outdoors person, Margaret loved fell walking in the Lake District, particularly the area around Ullswater where she spent so much time with friends at a cottage previously held in the family.
Above all, Margaret had a genuine interest in people and the well being of family and friends. She loved animals and nature. She had a strong moral compass and was extremely caring and thoughtful. Professionally respected, she was energetic, efficient and organised.
It was particularly hard for her to cope with the degenerative nature of Supra nuclear palsy. She knew what was happening and bore her fate bravely.
MDHU FPH
Jurassic Coast Branch
Mrs SA Cooke
Millbank Branch
Mrs TJ Lloyd
Mr AC Gray
Lt Col (Retd) L Kibbey Funeral Service Donation Elizabeth Morris (Nee Lloyd)
QARANC Corps Day Collection QARANC Corps Day Collection
In Memory of the Late Lt Col M
In Memory of the Late Lt Col M
In Memory of the Late Lt Col M
In Memory of the Late Lt Col M
In Memory of the Late Lt Col M
In Memory of the Late Lt Col M
In Memory of the Late Glenys M Anthony
£134.50 £50.00 £25.00 £20.00 £20.00
£250.00 £20.00 £50.00 £50.00
Alex Gray
ACG 4th June 2014
Donations and Legacies
Gray Gray Gray Gray Gray Gray