Margery Hewitt - The Story of her life
 
Mum was an amazing Mother, but she was also very humble.  You may know quite a lot about her recent history, but I’m now going to try to tell you some things about her that you may have known and some of which I’ve only just discovered myself over the past few weeks.
 
Mum was born Millicent Margery Dickeson on the 4th June 1930 to Charles Frederick Dickeson and Margery Clara Dickeson. She was known to some of her friends as ‘Millie’ or ‘Midge’ but most of her family and life-long friends knew her as Margery.
She began her education at Sutton High School from 1935 to 1939
Then, in the 1940’s she ‘boarded’ at Sunny Hill Girl's School, Bruton, Somerset. Where she was affectionately known by her school chums as ‘Dickey’. She was in 3 choirs, ‘Seniors’ and ‘Voice choirs’ and also the ‘Madrigal Choir’. She also enjoyed playing rounders and swimming at the local pool. 
This was war time, and Charles, ‘Daddy’ as she called him in her letters, was stationed in Blackpool, and Mum would stay with him and her ‘Mummy’ (also called Margery but known as ‘Madge’) during the holidays. Madge ran a building supply company in London, so it was up to Grannie Clara, with whom Mum a close relationship, to move closer to the school for support.
In her youth she was clearly cheeky, because in one of her letters home to ‘Daddy’, she openly asked for a present of a ‘Romany’ Book’, which starred the dog ‘Raq’ a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel (whom She was obviously entranced by) but at the same time noting with some humility that “it wasn't very likely that she was going to get it”.
Whilst at Sunny Hill Girl’s School, Mum's Senior choir won a competition at a Festival in Bath Pavilion. Julius Harrison (who was a professor at the Royal Academy of Music) was judging. From her letters, we know that Mum proudly collected the cup on behalf of the choir, and she noted that "he [Julius] gave us very nice written criticism (...) and called us a 'Grand Choir'".
In 1946 at the age of 16, Mum had a ‘Psychological’ report done, in preparation to move to higher education. She was noted to be in the “top 10% for General Intelligence and Verbal Intelligence with no particular preference”. She was expected to get a “satisfactory” university degree and the author recommend that she “go for it”. 
The report commented on her alert, interested mind, a well-balanced temperament and likely to develop sound judgement.  She was likely to be happiest in work dealing with people rather than things or theories. 
They recommend she should take an Arts Degree with a bias towards social science and suggested trying for Oxford or failing that the LSE, but they also noted she may do better at a smaller University where men and women are taught on equal footing. As an alternative it was suggested that she may prefer Educational Psychology. 
Clearly, Mum liked the idea of Education and Arts, because in 1949 - 1952, she attended the Royal Academy of Music, London, graduating with a licence to teach piano and singing.
In the same year, Mum was admitted to the Sunday School Teachers Association, Southwark
In 1952 Mum took up her first teaching post as Music Mistress at Brondesbury and Kilburn Highschool where she became a qualified teacher in 1954. She took up a new role and had no assistance.  Her Head Teacher gave her glowing references quoting… “She always had time for her choirs and for individual students taking it upon herself to train one particular unqualified student to grade 6 singing to ensure that she could sit her GCE in Music.” She went on to say that “she knew how to inspire others and she found many opportunities for us to share in the Choir's enjoyment.” She successfully took her choirs to competitions and greatly increased the number of girls taking music O-Levels. 
She stayed at Brondesbury for 5 years before she left and got married. Her head teacher said “we shall not easily find a successor”. 
In 1955 Mum married Christopher Michael Hough known to everyone as ‘Mick’ and remained married for 17 Years
After a short period stationed in North Wales accompanying Dad on National service in the RAF, they moved to Horsham.
During their marriage she gave birth to four sons, Richard in 1957; Chris in 1959; I came along in 1961 and Andy followed in 1964.
Wanting to help others, during this time, Mum was a volunteer at St Mark's Youth Club, Horsham where she met ‘Doreen’ who somewhat naively ended up babysitting we four boys (Mum handing her the laundry and asking Doreen to sort out the socks into matching pairs) and thus becoming a long-time family friend.
Mum was also an Area Registrar for the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme and an Acting Assistant Area Youth Officer, becoming a qualified Youth Leader in 1971.
She also worked as a Samaritan during the 1970s and 80s
In 1972 Mum and Dad got divorced leaving her to bring up four independent, noisy boys on her own. Which must have been incredibly difficult times, but which she managed amazingly and without complaint.
Returning to teaching in 1973, Mum was appointed as a music teacher at the High School for Girls Horsham (now Tanbridge House School) and was also appointed as a part time Music Teacher at Forest Girls school Horsham (now Millais)
In 1977 Mum became an Assistant Leader at Horsham Youth Centre.
Then, in 1978 Mum married John Robert Hewitt at Wisborough Green Church and in doing so took on his three children Jenny, Carol and Robert, and we all moved to Rusper.
Whilst married to John they both enjoyed, sailing, walking, skiing, and holidaying in Greece.
Mum never stopped training though, and in 1985 she gained a Certificate in ‘Home Care Organisation’ from West Sussex Institute of Higher Education and her ‘Counselling Certificate’ in 1986.
Mum was a great supporter of St Catherine’s Hospice and in 1990, Mum received her certificate for attending the ‘St Catherine’s Hospice Bereavement Visitor’s course’
Then, in January 1992, after 14 years of marriage ….sadly John died.
At the time Mum was a Home Care Organiser for the Crawley Area Office eventually retiring later that same year.
However, Mum, independent as ever, kept herself busy, she particularly loved driving.  For as long as we can remember, she had French cars (Renaults and Citroëns) and was always zooming around in them visiting the family and looking after her various grandchildren
Although we all thought of her as an accomplished pianist achieving grade 7 by the age of 16 and latterly an organist, her real passion has always been singing:
She particularly loved the songs of Vaughn Williams (especially his cantata for Women’s Voices: Folk Songs of the Four Seasons one part of which you heard as we came in) and was a follower of the choral Director Sir David Willcocks
This love of singing led her to spend a significant amount of her time with the Newdigate and Leith Hill choirs attending many competitions 
She also travelled the world with the World Festival Choir visiting Germany, China and South Africa
Erica, Chris’s godmother says it was Mum that gave her,  her lifelong passion for Music
Mum never stopped caring for others, in particular the elderly and became a qualified Bereavement Councillor for ‘CRUSE’ in 1996
She also never stopped learning, keeping busy and gaining new skills.  She achieved certificates for ‘Coordinator of club 55+’, ‘Chinese Brush Painting’, ‘Horse Riding’ and ‘Swimming’.
Right up to the day she died, Mum kept a keen interest in singing and socialising either in Newdigate or attending Rusper Church, enjoying the services and coffee mornings. We are told (by Eric Marden, the organist) that “everyone in the village knew Margery and all will miss her sweet presence.”
Much to her iritation, Mum was told to stop driving. 
So, her friend Tina stepped up and started taking her to Newdigate for ‘Coffee Under the Bells’ and other events at the Choral Society and the Church in Newdigate.  They also shared many luncheons and jigsaws and Tina says that “there is now a big gap in her diary”. 
Tina also passes on a message from Newdigate Choral Society, who were “sad to hear that Margery has now “joined a far more elevated choir””.
Mum leaves behind her 3 boys, 3 Stepchildren; 8 Grandchildren; 7 Step Grandchildren; 1 Great Grandchild and 3 Step-Great Grandchildren.
 
As you know, Mum cared for everyone. She was the most influential person in shaping who I am today; I will miss her physical presence, but she will always be in my mind. 
 
Mum I love you