THE life of author and historian Margaret Bramford, who died just before Christmas at the age of 94, will be commemorated with a service next month.

Margaret was born on June 30, 1924, in the village of Overbury near Pershore, and her sister Avril was born five years later.

In 1931 the family moved to Pershore and lived there for the next 50 years, and Margaret always had a great affection for Pershore.

She attended Worcester Grammar School for Girls and gained a place at the University of Manchester to study French with Spanish and then embarked on a career in teaching.

Margaret’s first job was at Coalville in Leicestershire, and in 1976 she moved to Clifton in Bristol. She also taught for six years in Jamaica, before coming to Malvern to work for more than five years in the bursar’s office at Malvern Girls’ College.

In her retirement, Margaret wrote many books about her life, her family, including her Aunt Florence who worked for the Royal Household, and about the history of the Malvern and Pershore areas.

She gave talks to local groups, and through these, raised money for several charities.

She also enjoyed travel, especially travelling alone, which she said was much more interesting and exciting than going with other people.

She travelled widely within Europe, to South American countries, and to the USA.

Margaret had a wide range of interests including the theatre, painting, knitting, flower arranging and making jam. She was a member of St Matthias’ Church, Malvern Architectural Society, Malvern Civic Society and Worcester Naturalists.

In 1994 Margaret organised her own 70th birthday party, and 20 years later, a party to celebrate her 90th birthday party. These were attended by some of her former pupils as well as by friends and colleagues from her teaching years.

She was taken ill in December and died in hospital two days later. She had planned her own memorial service which will be held in St Matthias’ Church, Malvern Link, on Saturday, February 9, at 11.30am. All are welcome to attend.