Jean was born in Tottenham, North London in 1928. She grew up in a small terrace house in Belvedere with her six siblings!

This meant life at home was always busy and brimming with excitement, but her mum kept everyone in line whilst her father was away serving as an engineer in the merchant navy. With mum at home looking after the family, Jean and her mum grew very close and in the Second World War, when bombs were landing in London, Jean’s mum made the brave decision to keep the family unit together at home.

Jean said she has memories of the Blitz and the sights, sounds, and scents of wartime London. When asked if she was scared about the bombs landing in London, she said, “I was only scared when the grown-ups were scared.”

Fortunately, Jean’s family stayed safe and well during the war, and after it finished, Jean decided to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and had her first post in Edinburgh. Not long into her time with the WRNS, Jean was recruited into the Diplomatic Service and received her first long-term overseas posting to Singapore.

Jeans recalls being very excited to travel to Singapore by boat, as these types of adventures were rare at the time. It took a few weeks to get there, but one memorable moment was the sudden change of environment as she passed through the Suez Canal, from European weather to a tropical climate.

Arriving in Singapore started a long-distinguished career working for the British Government. Jean spent almost her entire working life outside the UK, experiencing many diverse countries and cultures including Sweden, Bulgaria, Thailand and Sudan.

In many ways, Jean spent her career at the heart of world history. She lived in communist Yugoslavia, as it was during the 1970s, and in Poland at the end of the Cold War, working alongside ambassadors, government ministers, and the highest-ranking military officers. She even once styled Margaret Thatcher’s hair, and away from politics, while in Singapore, was tasked with looking after a wide-eyed, young rock band: the Rolling Stones.

After a long and successful career, Jean was awarded an MBE for her services to the British government. Jean then settled into her London home in Dulwich and worked for a while as an assistant to the Headmaster at Dulwich College.

Never one to sit still for long, Jean also took up academic study at this time, studying Art, Theology, and most enthusiastically: Philosophy, in which she attained a Masters’ Degree.

In her 80s, Jean moved to the small market town of Sudbury in Suffolk to be close to her younger sister. She spent many happy years there; continuing her studies, joining a choir, and socialising with friends and family after a lifetime spent travelling the world.

Now living at Peartree Care Home in Sydenham, Jean can always raise a smile or spark an interesting conversation through the stories and life experiences she shares.