Berryman Blanche

Blanche Berryman

Blanche (nee Dowsett) from East Sheen became educated through a scholarship. She went on to King’s College London. There she met Jack, her husband of 68 years, and both became first Communists and then teachers in the 1930s. 

She taught at Twickenham, then Tiffin – a Surrey grammar school –  where she is recalled as having worn a “bright red dress” on election day in 1959 and always refused to bow her head or shut her eyes during prayers. Blanche was considered an extraordinarily gifted teacher who made history into everyone’s best-loved subject.  She finally taught at Gypsy Hill teacher-training college, taking early retirement in the 1970s.

Neither ever lost their socialist convictions and Blanche directed that her funeral should include the Internationale.

Jack died in March 2011 whilst she died aged 91 in January 2012

Source: The Guardian 4^th February 2012