Joan Last Tribute

She was perhaps the most prominent resident of the town in the 20th century, always taking a keen interest in local affairs, yet travelling internationally in her role as a specialist in the art of piano teaching.

Almost 90 years after witnessing the official opening of Littlehampton Hospital, in 1911, Miss Last lent her support to the campaign to keep the hospital open in 2000.

Writing to the health authority, Miss Last recalled her father, the late Dr C. E. Last, making daily visits to the hospital. She said it would be "a tragedy" if "this lovely little hospital" was closed.

She was born in the town and attended Rosemead School, where she would later spend many years teaching. But for a serious injury to her right hand, trapped in a window when the sash cord broke, Miss Last might well have had a glittering career as a concert pianist.

Instead, she went into teaching, a decision she said she never regretted, and soon enjoyed considerable success.

Frustrated by the lack of suitable music for her own pupils, she began composing, and developing new styles of teaching music. Publishers quickly recognised her talents, and she went on to write more than 120 books of music.

At Rosemead, as well as progressing to director of music Miss Last coached games and also taught English.

In 1959 the Royal Academy of Music invited her to join its professorial staff and although she continued to live in Littlehampton, her new responsibilities meant she had to cut her link of more than 30 years with Rosemead, as pupil and teacher.

Her ability as a speaker let to a string of requests for lectures, developing into an international programme taking in six American tours in 23 states, as well as Canada, Africa, Scandinavia, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.

More locally, she was a founder of Worthing Music Festival and used to be a regular contributor of both music and writing, to the Voice of Progress tape magazine for the blind. She also had numerous private piano pupils, some travelling from a distance to benefit from her teaching.

Nor were her talents limited to music. She captained the Sussex lacrosse team and also excelled at golf and croquet, and at photography, as a one-time member of the Littlehampton and District Camera Club.

Miss Last was also an enthusiastic writer, and just four years ago had her last volume of children's verse published.

In 1988's new year honours list Miss Last was awarded an OBE for lifelong service to music education.

For the past 46 years Monica Hodgson was Miss Last's assistant and housekeeper, having arrived in Littlehampton purely for a three-month piano teaching diploma course, but then accepting her tutor's invitation to stay in the area as a teacher.

Said Miss Hodgson: "She was a very clever lady. Everything she did was at the very top level. Right to the end of her life she was very alert, and had a marvellous brain. Just a couple of weeks ago, before going into hospital, she was still writing poems."

Miss Last leaves a stepsister, Peggy Hawkins, and two nephews.

The funeral service is at Worthing Crematorium, Findon, at 2.40pm on November 6.