The first memory I have of my sister Margaret is Monday, March 20th, 1939, the day she was born, when I was eleven years old. I arrived home from school and was told by my father that I had a baby sister. My other sister, Pauline, eighteen months younger than I, had already held the new baby and perhaps named her, as Pauline always called her own dolls Margaret. I remember that I was the first one to carry Margaret downstairs from my parents’ bedroom. She was a big baby. Over nine pounds when she was born. She was a pretty baby who grew up to be a beautiful woman with lovely eyes.

We moved to Homewood in October 1939 not long after World War II was declared. I remember taking Margaret for a walk in her baby carriage and ending up in Chesterfield. Mom had given me a bottle of milk in case the baby was hungry. My mother and I were surprised that I would stay out so long with a six month old baby. I enjoyed her and did not mind looking after her. Margaret was slow to talk. But once she started she was not to be stopped and she enjoyed talking all her life.

Another memory is taking Margaret for her first rowboat ride and afterwards buying her a strawberry milkshake. Forever after she called it pink milk. One day, when Margaret was about five years old, a fleet of American army trucks came to pick up coal and coke to heat their barracks from Hardwick Colliery. To our Mother’s amazement, Margaret came home with a large tin of peaches. Mom was worried and warned her about talking to strangers. Two days later the convoy returned for more fuel. Mom was even more surprised when Margaret walked up the yard with a tall black American soldier on each hand to show her mother who had given her the peaches.

Margaret started school in 1944. She did very well and she continued on to Manning Secondary School in Nottingham.

I left England for Australia in 1952 when I was twenty-five and Margaret was just thirteen years old. I did not see her again until 1967 when I returned for a holiday. However, we always kept in touch with letters and photographs to keep me up to date. Still it was a shock to see her all grown-up when I first met her again.

After she married Harry Woodward she became interested in breeding and showing Dobermans. She became a judge of the breed. It led to invitations to judge in Barbados, Australia, Hong Kong and many other places. She was invited to judge at Crufts twice which was a great honour. At one of the Crufts shows the Duke of Kent talked to her for a long time about Dobermans as he was thinking of buying one for his family. Margaret always called the dress she was wearing that day “the Royal dress”. Her dogs she bred and trained won many awards and the ribbons were displayed for all to admire. Her faithful Katie was with her until the end. Katie has now been adopted by Michael and his family.

Margaret took a course in Home Furnishings and was a talented crafter and seamstress. From quilting to making her grand-daughter’s graduation dress, she could do it all.

In the early 1980s, Margaret became Mayor of Rushcliffe for one year. The mayoral collar was so heavy that it kept slipping forward on her small frame. Her husband had to add lead counter weights on the back of the collar for balance so she was then carrying twice the weight on her shoulders.

In 1997, Margaret met and married John Sheridan. They sold the Cotgrave home and moved to South Clifton. Unfortunately, John became sick and eventually passed away leaving Margaret very lonely and sad. She found the house and garden in South Clifton too big and put it up for sale. She then bought a smaller bungalow in Bingham to be closer to her daughter Michelle and her son Michael and their families.

Her last visit to Canada was in January 2009 when she arrived in minus 23 Celsius weather. She came to help her sister Pauline celebrate her 80th birthday. Margaret traveled here even though she was not well and had to use oxygen occasionally. She was determined to keep going.

She always made every effort to be in Canada when we were celebrating a marriage, birthday or other special occasions. She saw a lot of Canada on these visits although she did complain that there were too many evergreen trees lining the highways.

My memories of a lovely sister will be the things that comfort me and I hope that in some small way they will comfort everyone that mourns her. Fly free Margaret, we love you.

Margaret was born on March 20, 1939 in Pleasley, Derbyshire. She was the third child and second daughter, of Coral Esme Naylor and Frederick Cecil Radford. She was brought up in Homewood, Derbyshire until about 1947. She attended Manning Secondary School in Nottingham and attained high marks. Her older siblings were Lancelot Terence and Pauline. Her younger sibling was Yvonne.

She married Harry Woodward on March 23, 1957 in Carrington, Nottinghamshire. They had two children, Michelle born on September 5, 1958 and Michael born on March 14, 1963. They came to live on Candelby Lane, Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire in 1965. Her children married and she was blessed with five grand-children. Michelle’s children are Charlotte, Francesca and James. Michael and Sue have Emma and Sophie. They all affectionately called Margaret “Mimi” as she did not like to be called Grand-mother.

Harry introduced Margaret to the world of dog breeding. They started to breed Dobermans and this love of and commitment to the wellbeing of the breed lasted for some 45 years. She was a founding member of the Midland Doberman Club and was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award in 2004. Margaret showed her dogs in the ring and they won her many awards. It was followed by many engagements as a judge. Margaret travelled throughout the world to judge at shows, including Australia and Barbados. She had the high honour of being asked twice to judge at Crufts. The Doberman Breed Council undertook to organise many successful projects in the breed with Margaret’s guidance, enthusiasm and words of wisdom. She was a good fund raiser and raised money for research into the health problems of Dobermans. Many owners and friends will remember her homemade jams and chutneys, lavender bags and other homemade items made by Margaret for sale. Her legacy is that her name will be ensconced in the Doberman breed and will be for many years.

Margaret served on the Cotgrave Council from 1974-1987 and the Rushcliffe Borough Council from 1974-1995. She was the Mayor of Rushcliffe in 1983/84. Her appointment as Mayor was in recognition of her hard work in local government and she certainly helped put Cotgrave on the map. Some important local issues of that time in which she was involved were the proposed Windmill Hill development and the miner’s strikes.

Margaret was a skilled crafter. In spite of working full time and her public works she still found time to sew. She made everything from jewellery cases to quilting. One of her final projects was to help her grand-daughter cut and sew her graduation dress which was completed not long before Margaret’s final illness. Margaret loved to make jam especially from the fruit of her damson tree on Candleby Lane. We all enjoyed the fruits of her endeavours.

Margaret married John Sheridan on September 27, 1997. They sold the home in Cotgrave and moved to South Clifton. After John’s untimely death in 2004, Margaret found the house too big, so sold it and moved to Bingham to be closer to her family and to have a smaller house.

Her faithful Doberman friend, Katie was with her until the end. Katie has been adopted by Margaret’s son Michael and family. Margaret was a colourful, kind, glamorous and gracious lady who loved to look good, wear hats and get dressed up. She was fun loving and loyal and will be sadly missed by her family and friends.