Leamington’s Guiding star Mabel spent her life supporting others

Former Sunday school teacher and Guide leader Mabel Ingleby died at the age of 101 on April 13.

Having joined the Brownies as a child in the early 20th century, Leamington-born Mabel never broke ties with the Guiding movement and was still an honorary member of the Trefoil Guild - for former Guides - until she died.

A devoted Christian who never married, Mabel taught at All Saints’ church’s Sunday school, where she continued to attend services even at a very old age. She also worked at a laundry shop in the Parade and volunteered at the Loft Theatre bar - one of several community roles.

As well as organising outings for the unwell to Jephson Gardens, she also took patients to friends’ houses and for picnics and was a regular volunteer at the church.

During the 1980s she was selected as the winner of the Warwick district Citizen of the Year.

Fellow Trefoil Guild member Barbara Emm, who has known Mabel for the past 30 years, said: “Mabel was riding her bike from the age of seven to 95 and her bikes were regularly stolen because she trusted everybody.

“She was such a character - so warm. One time I remember I was sitting next to her in church and we got to the Lord’s Prayer. I stopped reciting because Mabel was saying it so beautifully - I could only listen. It meant so much to her.

“It was really something special. When you think of Mabel, you smile. There are so many lovely things about her.

“She was a modest, selfless soul.”

She added: “It wouldn’t surprise me if she had been on the stage at the Loft in her early days because she had a wonderful voice and she loved doing things. We had her dressed as a fairy on the top of the Christmas tree and all sorts - you name it, she would do it.”

Although Mabel remained active until her mid-90s, her health deteriorated during the past few years so she was no longer able to attend Trefoil Guild meetings.

Mrs Emm said: “She had been very active and viril so it must have hurt her to not be able to do things as she used to. We kept her on our books as an honorary member.

“We really missed her when she stopped coming to our meetings.

“It really was a privilege to have known her.”

Gwenda Moore, who has known Mabel since she was a small girl attending her classes at Sunday school, said: “You always had lots of fun with Mabel. We used to have camp fires and sing-songs and she would camp with us and sing and dance around. She was wonderful.

“She was a friend to me and a mother-figure - everything rolled into one.”

During her latter years, Mabel, who never married, lived at Clarence House in Leamington and before that, in Ranelagh Terrace.

Her funeral was held on April 22.