A grandmother from Oxhey who spent more than 40 years serving tea to patients at Watford General Hospital has died.

Margaret (Peggy) Parrish, 90, passed away peacefully in Charmouth, Dorset on April 28.

She leaves daughter Lesley and her husband Bob, and grandchildren Robert, Laura and James.

One of eight children, Peggy’s family was evacuated from London to Colwyn Bay during the war, where she worked for the Ministry of Education.

She was also a firewoman in the Auxiliary Fire Service, manning the switchboard at night.

While in the Ministry she met Reg Parrish who was evacuated from Oxhey with his wife Agnes.

Their son Ted had been posted to Burma with the RAF and Reg asked Peggy if she would write to Ted to cheer him up, which she willingly did.

When Peggy’s father died, she returned to London to be with her mother and began work in the Ministry of Food in Portman Court.

Her correspondence with Ted flourished and sparked a long-distance wartime romance.

When Ted was posted back to England, Peggy met him at Euston Station. She spent her leave with him and his parents in Talbot Avenue, Oxhey, and they became engaged just three weeks later.

They were married at Holy Rood Church in 1946 and had one daughter, Lesley.

Ted and Peggy became well known in Watford through their involvement in numerous groups and organisations from the 1960s onwards.

They included Kings Jazz Club, RAFA, Watford Cine Society, Watford and District Archaeological Society, OVEG, Bushey Museum Trust and the Chiltern Open Air Museum.

Ted’s great love of Watford is evidenced by his many meticulously researched articles and films about the area, and his tireless local history research. He provided much of the introductory text in The Book of Watford by Bob Nunn.

Ted passed away in 1997.

For more than 40 years Peggy spent alternate Monday afternoons as a volunteer, serving refreshments at Watford General Hospital’s tea bar.

She was an active member of the Bushey branch of the British Red Cross.

Her requiem mass will take place at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Bushey, at 1.30pm on Wednesday, May 11, followed by committal at West Herts Crematorium.

All are welcome to attend. The family has asked that donations are sent to the Hertfordshire British Red Cross, c/o AJ Wakely and Sons, 91 East Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3LB.