Townhead has just lost one of it’s oldest residents and also one of it’s greatest raconteurs. Mary always had a good story to tell and enjoyed a mischievous sense of humour. Born into the Makin family who farmed at Wheston she used to tell of coming to school on snowy days and sledging down Wheston Bank on her satchel.
At school she loved sports and was very good at running. She would have loved to have gone to agricultural college, but work on the farm held her back and she was one of the last people round here to have worked with carthorses. One day she fancied a ride back home and jumped onto the horse’s back and promptly slid off the other side. The horse looked round at her, down on the ground as if to say “silly “b—-“ When the hunt came onto their land, Mary would open a gate for the riders. “Morning Andrew” she would say to the future Duke of Devonshire. “Morning Mary” he would reply. She did also advise Billy the Marquis of Hartington to “keep his head down” when he went off to fight in WW2, but sadly he was killed in a very brave action in September 1944. Many people will remember Mary when she worked for Dr. Brookes and she even accompanied the family on a visit to Canada. After her beloved Harry died, she decided to fulfil an ambition and toured around Australia. Thereafter, she always took a great interest in the happenings in that country. She had a fine memory for events that took place many years ago and could recall the days when there were nearly 50 shops in Tideswell—there were even two jewellers. Ta Ta Mary — We won’t forget you!
B. Woodall