From threading needles to throwing arrows, Muriel could do it all

Muriel Thelwell, who died last week at Myton Hospice aged 77, was landlady at the Bowling Green pub for six years.

Known to many as the mother of ten-times world women’s darts champion Trina Gulliver, “Mue” brought up her five children alone after her husband left the family.

Trina dedicated her first-round win in the BDO championships last Sunday to her mother, who had insisted her daughter defend her title.

She said: “She was an immensely strong person. She went through hell and back through her lifetime but always made sure her kids were alright.

“She was an amazing lady. She never complained about anything and was always a giver, never a taker.”

Born Muriel Bilson, Mrs Thelwell grew up during the Second World War in a cottage near Baginton Airport. She saw the Coventry Blitz from her bedroom window, with bombs often falling close to the Whitley bomber factory nearby.

In 1952 she married Geoff Jones, a coal merchant, and went on to have five children, with Mrs Jones often working as a potato picker and in cleaning jobs to support the family.

The couple went into the pub trade in 1967, briefly running a pub in Kidderminster and the Hope Tavern in Leamington before running the Bowling Green in Southam, where she played darts.

Neighbour and fellow player Phyllis Scandrett: “She was a very nice, easy-going lady. When she was at the pub she would organise floats for the children and turn her hand to making costumes.”

Mrs Thelwell’s funeral will take place at St James church, Southam on Monday at 1.30pm. Donations can be given to Myton Hospice.