Judith died in early November 2024 having just moved to Frome in Somerset to be nearer to her daughter Sarah and her family. Only a few days before, she had celebrated her 90th birthday with a family party.

An Honorary Life Member of the Barn Theatre Club she had been involved in the creation and development of many aspects of our activities and facilities. Many who worked with her remarked on her welcoming enthusiasm and skills.

Almost certainly not well known to many of our current membership, as in recent years she had only attended productions with her carer Connie due to her immobility, nonetheless she has had a major effect on most aspects of the Barn’s successes. Moving to WGC in 1958 when her husband Ron was transferred here by ICI, they joined the ICI Dramatic Society who at that time were regular users of the Barn premises. Later, as a member of the Welwyn Drama Club, she was on the Steering Committee which amalgamated the Drama Club and the Folk Players to form the Barn Theatre Club in 1969.

She was appointed Secretary of the Club in 1970 and later became Secretary of the Welwyn Drama Festival and then Secretary of the national organisation the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, gleaning ideas from many other societies all over the country. She persuaded The Welwyn Stores (now John Lewis) to let the Barn permanently have the eastern half of the Barn building which they were using as  a staff clubroom, enabling us to develop Room 1, the kitchen, wardrobe areas, props store and workshop. Judith played in 14 Barn productions and also worked as a Production Secretary. She owned and ran Festival Costumes in Codicote for ten years before it was sold by its later owners to the Barn, and managed the Barn wardrobe, enlarging and improving it. Her name appears many times in the Club archives for doing wardrobe for productions. Judith’s favourite role was probably in Salad Days (1973) but she also gave memorable performances in the musicals Something’s Afoot (1980) and the world amateur premiere of O Glorious Jubilee (1977). And she established a play reading group. She also was a regular solo performer in the Rotary and Inner Wheel Old Time Music Hall annually at Campus West, a major entertainment and charity event in the town.

Several years ago Georgie Palmer wrote a tribute to Judith which appeared in Barn News and I’m grateful to her for some of the content here. One of the quotes from that article summarises what many members feel about Judith’s contribution to us all:

‘She had a keen eye for production values and for acting standards. Her contribution over the many years she has been part of the Barn family has been extraordinary’.

Another wrote

‘A remarkable lady who has probably performed every task required in our theatre’.