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Mourners at Sheila Whittingham’s funeral on Wednesday |
Last farewell to woman with showbusiness sparkle
FRIENDS of Sheila Whittingham gathered on Wednesday to pay their last respects to the glamorous former actress.
Mrs Whittingham, a well-known figure in Archway, was buried at St Pancras Cemetery in East Finchley following a simple Anglican service.
Her close friends said the glorious early spring day reflected the “flamboyant and beautiful” woman who was being laid to rest.
Mrs Whittingham died in January after being struck by a truck in Junction Road, Archway.
Although she had no family, friends gathered at the cemetery to remember the sprightly 88-year-old.
Those who could not attend the service turned up for a wake at Mary Webster House, in Dartmouth Park Hill, where Mrs Whittingham lived until her death, and later at her local, the Boston Arms pub in Junction Road.
Her friends spoke after the service about the former star’s love of life and her ability to burst into perfectly pitched song at any moment.
The active pensioner, with her Zimmer frame, was a familiar sight in Archway.
Neighbour Patricia Ramsay said: “She was flamboyant and beautiful. She kept that showbusiness sparkle wherever she went.
“Sheila was always beautifully made up, with so much care, and had a wonderful singing voice. She still had a number of records with her singing and they were amazing.”
Margaret Kelly, warden of Mary Webster House, said: “It was a pleasure to have known Sheila and may she rest in peace. Today she has got a lovely day in the sun and I am sure she is looking down on us.
“We really miss Sheila and her cheerfulness. She really left a void that cannot be filled because she meant so much to so many people living around here.”
Another friend, Eleanor Greet, said after the service: “Sheila was always cheerful and convivial. She had had the most remarkable life and at the drop of a hat she would burst into song.
“Her love of life was most remarkable and she never felt the cold.”
One of the largest wreaths at the graveside was from regulars and staff at the Boston Arms, where Mrs Whittingham would enjoy a gin and tonic and read the newspapers most days.
Pub manager PJ Fahey represented the pub at the service. He said: “Sheila was very nice and always on good form. She would always have a laugh and a joke with us and will be sadly missed.”
Mrs Whittingham was born in Scotland but spoke with a cut-glass English accent.
During the war, the young Sheila worked first as a nurse and then an RAF radar operator.
Later, she became a multi-talented variety performer who could sing, dance and ice skate, often performing under her maiden name of Teasdale with husband Derrick Whittingham.
The couple were considered on the same level as singing stars Anne Ziegler and Webster Booth. In her heyday, Mrs Whittingham performed at the Palladium and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. |
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