Anne Worsley

Anne was quite a remarkable person. She was impatient with a purpose - knowing that all things may come to those who wait, but that they tend to come rather sooner to those who get on and do them. I will never forget the passion she had for education - and especially the importance of first-class education for children from lower income backgrounds. Indeed, Anne got quite furious if anyone tried to make excuses for poor school results!She was a stalwart in the local Labour Party and had been so for many years. Equal life chances for everyone - socialism in action - was clearly at the heart of her beliefs. I remember one evening last year when she came with me to see an opera at ENO. We got talking about the work of Borough Music School (which she founded) and the importance of giving children from all backgrounds the chance to learn musical instruments. Her life embodied practical action, common sense and hard work. She will be hugely missed.

I was a next door neighbour of Anne's for several years. I was aware of the wonderful things that she did for the local community including providing music lessons to local children (you could hear piano music when the window was open), her work at the Blackfriars Settlement and taking pleasure in looking after our communal garden. Her contribution will be greatly missed.

Both my children attended the Borough music school, indeed one still does. Her death has come as shock and i was very saddened to see the news when logging on to the site. Indeed she will be missed by many.

I'm so sad to hear about Anne, she really was one of the nice people. Perhaps we could try to arrange something locally, to remember her?

Miss Worsley was my form mistress way back in 1974/5 at St Saviour's and St Olave's. She was a very kind and patient teacher, and gave me a book of John Donne's poetry, which I still have.

I am very sorry to hear about her death, and my sympathies go to her family and her many friends.

Anne worked really hard for local people via Blackfriars Settlement, the Borough Music School and in so many other ways.

Despite political differences I respected her for her tireless work for the community, and will miss her presence at Community Council and will propose that we hold a minute's silence in respect to Anne at the start of the next meeting.

Tim

Cllr Tim McNally
LibDem Member for Chaucer Ward
Executive Member for Resources, Southwark Council

Anne will be sorely missed. Her passion for social justice was evident to all who knew her. She worked tirelessly to her last day to improve our society. She was a great example to us all.

For those of you who want to pay your respects, Anne's funeral will be held at Southwark Cathedral at 2.30pm on Monday 16 March.

Thank you Betty, for that information. I'm sure there will be many people who would like to pay their last respects.

I was shocked and saddened to read of Anne's death. She was a thoroughly decent, down-to-earth, highly principled woman, totally committed to the community causes in which she was involved. Because she was so self-effacing, I feel she was sometimes under-estimated and often she did not get the credit she fully deserved for all that she did and achieved. She will be sorely missed. Does anybody know where to send flowers/donations? I cannot attend her funeral unfortunately.