Ninety Years Young Nan Webb
NAN WEBB may be over ninety but
"over the hill" she is not. Now in her 93rd
year, Nan has conserved all the mental
energy she had when, in 1952, she started
the very first pre-school play group in
Britain. Realising the need to
accommodate the children who made up
the post-war "baby boom", Nan started
the Tudor Hall Pre School Play Group in
Tudor Hall Drive, Kingston. Almost at
once she had thirty pupils and it was not
until sometime later that, following her
lead, the Government sponsored Play
Group Association was founded.
Tudor Hall Pre-School Play Group is still going and has the honour of being acknowledged in the Archives of Kingston-on-Thames Museum. In 2002, Nan attended the School's 50-year celebration as a guest of the staff.
In spite of her busy life, Nan married in 1936 and had three children who have given her seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. For some years she nursed a sick husband who died in 1964 but since then her contribution to public service has never ceased. Her association with Youth Clubs has stretched over 30 years and her service to the community has included being Secretary to the Thames Ditton and Weston Green Residents' Association. She was also at some time Amenities Officer with Sheila Philips and her membership on the Board of the Ditton Close Residents' Association (where she has also been Chairman) has been continuous since 1976 when she first came to live there.
Although she is not as agile as she was, Nan maintains a lively interest in local and national politics and holds strong views on both.
She and her generation of nonogenarians have served the community well in the past and are continuing to do so now.
Margaret Briggs