In loving memory of my friend Margaret.
Margaret and I met at St Aidan’s Primary School and then went on to Cardinal Newman High School for Girls. We very quickly became best friends.
We left school with very few qualifications, no wonder really, as we spent most of our time sitting at the back of the class chatting and getting told off! Somehow, though, we were never separated.
We got our first jobs together at Lewings, making Manchester United shirts. It was piece work, so the faster you worked, the more you earned. We saved up for our first holiday, an 18–30s holiday. We didn't know we needed sun cream, got burnt to a crisp and spent the rest of the holiday walking around like two lobsters! Didn't stop us having a great time though.
Margaret then got her first flat, and I spent most weekends there. We lived on corned beef butties with brown sauce on white bread,which Margaret insisted on. Special nights we had a tin of Rogan Josh curry, rice and poppadoms this was a proper party!
We were supposed to be good girls and go to Mass every Sunday. In reality, we'd pick up a service sheet and take it home to show Margaret's dad we'd been. How we ever got away with that, I'll never know!
Margaret always looked after me. When I didn't have much money, she would buy lovely clothes from dress agencies and give them to me. She even gave me her beautiful red dress to wear to her wedding
When I had Callum by Caesarean section, Margaret held my hand and was there for me, as she always had been.
For 58 years, Margaret was my best friend, my voice of reason and my goto person. We shared so many laughs, memories and adventures throughout our lives.
58 years was nowhere near long enough.
I will miss you more than words can say, Margaret.
Thank you for being my best friend.
I love you and will never forget you.
Sorry I can't be with you Friday as I have my own battles to deal with, I will be thinking of you and your lovely family.
Until we meet again. ❤️
Barbara
Barbara
11/08/2026
