Eileen Walker
Eileen Myfanwy Walker taught Maths at Thornbury Grammar School from 1950 until 1972 when the school closed. She continued teaching and transferred with other staff and the pupils to Marlwood School. She left there in 1981.
Eileen had been born in Lincoln but was brought up in Manchester and it was there she went to university to study for her BSc.
She was appointed Head of Mathematics at Thornbury Grammar School in 1950. It was in that year she also took over 1st Thornbury Brownies, then a company at Severn Beach in 1955, and at Alveston/Olveston in 1958.
Unfortunately she had to retire from teaching early to care for her mother but was still able to find time to run local Brownie and Guides groups until she reached the compulsory retirement age of 65. During her involvement wih the Brownies she had led overseas camps to Switzerland, Ireland and to three places in the United States.
In 1987 she was asked to take on ‘House to House’ collection for St Peter’s Hospice. At various times she was secretary, treasurer and chairman of the hospice’s Severnside Support Group. Eileen was a tireless fundraiser who helped to raise many thousands of pounds for the charity and she played a major role in establishing their shop in the High Street.
She had a life long love of music. She had started playing the violin at the age of seven and through school and university. She played in various orchestras. and was a member of Alveston Singers. Despite all these activities she found time to care for her acre of garden and to make jam to raise funds.
It was in recognition of her work for the community that she received her MBE in 2000. She was presented with her medal by the Queen who said to her “You must have been Guiding for a long time?” Eileen replied “Fifty two years till I had to retire but I am still fund-raising, and for our local Hospice”.
Eileen Walker died in Thornbury Hospital in September 2007 aged 87. She was buried at the Memorial Woodlands Cemetery at Earthcott Green.