Danny Howell writes –
Marjorie Elizabeth McAdams was born in Keynsham, near Bristol, on 30th August 1927. She was a talented musician, a modest person, and a keen fundraiser for Arthritis Research. She spent the latter part of her life in Warminster, living with her brother Roderick (a teacher at Warminster School) at Ash Walk, but after his death she moved to Homeminster House, the retirement apartments, at Station Road, Warminster.
Miss McAdams died, suddenly, at Salisbury District Hospital, on 24th May 2006. She was 78. Her funeral service, conducted by Canon Tony Watts, was held at the Parish Church of St. Denys, The Minster, Warminster, at 1.30 p.m., on Thursday 8th June 2006, and was followed by interment at Pine Lawns Cemetery, Folly Lane, Warminster.
I include here two tributes to Marjorie; the first is penned by Ms. Pam Treasure, the house manager at Homeminster Court:
Marjorie attended the Royal Academy of Music between 1945 and 1949, and trained as a classical concert pianist, eventually having her own classical music programme on BBC Radio. She taught music all her adult life, finishing at Oldfield Park School for Girls in Bath.
She moved to Homeminster House in Warminster, from Ash Walk, Warminster, in 1993 after the death of her beloved brother, Roderick McAdams, who himself was an accomplished musician and an academic in maths.
Marjorie’s sudden death in May came as a blow and a very big shock to al her friends in Warminster, particularly the residents of Homeminster House, and her friends and colleagues in the Warminster branch of the Arthritis Research Campaign, especially Fran Pearson who worked closely with Marjorie, and where Marjorie dedicated 18 years of her life as a volunteer.
I, as house manager of Homeminster House, and a classical music fan, live in the apartment directly above Marjorie’s apartment, and whenever Marjorie went into her apartment to practice her piano, which she did regularly in order to keep her fingers nimble as she, too, suffered from arthritis, I would go and sit on the loo in order to get the full benefit of sound and I would sit and listen to her playing. The acoustics in the bathroom were almost as good as today’s surround sound and was very convivial to Marjorie’s classical music repertoire.
I always felt very privileged to have that “front row seat’, and as Marjorie had very acute hearing she always maintained that music should should be listened to and enjoyed, and not be used as a background to other activities.
Other residents also enjoyed Marjorie’s practice sessions and they used to stand and listen to her playing from outside her apartment front door. One lady in particular, Mrs. Joan Handley, says: “I miss Marjorie’s playing so much as I pass her apartment door, now all is quiet and things are not quite the same.”
Marjorie also played the organ in the communal lounge at Homeminster House for the monthly church service that is held there for the residents of Homeminster and their guests, and of all denominations. She also played the church organ at the Minster Church on occasions in the earlier years.
Marjorie was a lively, outgoing, member of Homeminster House and a very integral player in everything going on here. She will be sorely missed for all her hard work and effort, and, of course, that winning smile of hers. She was a kingpin at Homeminster House and was loved by everyone.
She was a very modest person, she had a wonderful sense of humour, she had a warmth that couldn’t be abated by even the coldest of weathers, and a most beautiful smile. She also had the most tranquil of grace and serenity about her. Never a wrong word came from her lips, and she was loved and respected by everybody who knew her.
Marjorie was Homeminster House, and I know that I speak on behalf of everyone here, all of her friends and colleagues, and on behalf of her massive collection of teddy bears, over 200 in all, when I say we will all miss her dearly. May she rest in peace.
Mrs. Fran Pearson, of the Warminster Branch of the Arthritis Research Campaign, also paid tribute to Marjorie McAdams, summing up her own personal recollections of Marjorie’s 18 years collaboration with the ARC:
Majorie was one of the founder members of the ARC in Warminster. She was fondly known as the “raffle queen’ during all of those years. She always insisted that the raffle prizes were her way of contributing to the campaign and refused any offer of payment, and everyone knew that this area of fundraising would be correctly undertaken, because she was completely reliable and likeable in every way.
How thankful the Committee is on reflection now that she terminated her role on the committee in the summer of 2005, giving all of us the opportunity to thank her properly with cards and flowers. On the occasion of her retirement from the Committee, she had her photograph taken with the Mayor of Warminster, Les Rose.
Marjorie’s parting words were: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my years of volunteering with the Arthritis Research Campaign. I suppose there is a little bit of self interest involved as I suffer arthritis myself. I would recommend volunteering to anybody. It is a wonderful way to meet people, and over the years I have made many friends. I am very sad to be retiring.”
All of us who have worked alongside her are very sad indeed that we must now say a final farewell and goodbye to a very dear and loyal friend, but we do so with our hearts full to the brim with gratitude.