Littlehampton linguist and teacher dies aged 89

Gwen grew up in a land-locked county, far from the sea, but spent almost the last quarter-century of her life not only living by the coast, but charting Littlehampton’s rich heritage, too.

She was chairman of Littlehampton Local History Society and of Rustington Anglo-French Circle up to her death last week, following a long struggle with health problems, primarily diabetes.

She moved here in the late 1980s to be nearer her younger daughter Jenny, after retiring from a full-time teaching career, although she had a part-time job for a time at Northbrook College, Worthing.

Born Gwen King in 1921, into a farming family in the Leicestershire village of Long Clawson, within the Stilton cheese-producing area, she grew up among cows and horses.

Although always grateful for her country childhood, she sought out pastures new and became the first woman in her village to go to university.

At Nottingham University, Gwen read French. After graduating, she took a job at the Army college at Welbeck, Notts, where she met her first husband, Denis Lansdell.

They were married and moved to London, where Gwen spent the next 40 years, mainly in teaching languages, at the City of Westminster College, now Southbank University, and then travel and tourism, in Essex.

Terri, the couple’s first daughter, was born in 1950 in Litchfield, while they were still living in the Midlands, and Jenny was born in Fulham in 1953.

Gwen, whose first marriage ended in divorce, juggled motherhood with working, making clothes for her children, renovating houses, a busy social life and progressing her career.

She went on to become principal lecturer in the department for modern languages at the College of Westminster and wrote text books on French and Italian.

She was named a “Woman of the Year” in the 1960s and was an inspiration to her students, many keeping in touch with her long after she retired.

Throughout her life Gwen loved to travel – as soon as the war was over, she used her talent for speaking French to explore Europe and later in life ventured further and further, to Hong Kong, Australia and South Africa.

Aged 88, she travelled for 10 days along the rivers of Germany and Austria with her grand-daughter to take care of her.

Retirement and the move to Littlehampton, where she lived in Norfolk Road before later moving to Milton Avenue, Rustington, offered a host of new challenges.

She joined the local history and Anglo-French groups and her ability as an organiser and administrator enabled her to make major contributions not only to the organisations themselves but to the wider community.

Gwen wrote and contributed to several historical pubications on Littlehampton’s history and organised numerous meetings and lectures until very recently.

Diagnosed with glaucoma in her 60s, she refused to let failing vision diminish her life, her reading, travelling or even getting to grips with technology.

Gwen found renewed happiness in her late 70s when she re-established contact with an old school friend, Syd Eggleston, from the same farming village.

They were married in 1998 and set up home in Rustington. Syd died in 2006.

Daughter Terri Smart said Gwen rarely complained about her health problems. “The fact that she could manage to get on with her life always amazed me.

“The thing about mum was she loved being with people – she was a great people person.

“And she was particularly passionate about both the local history society and the Anglo-French Circle. She had a great fascination for words and language all her life.”

Gwen, who also leaves three grandchildren, is due to be buried at Long Crawson tomorrow (Friday), close to the graves of Syd and her parents.