LYNDA PUGH REMEMBERED

In the last three months three old friends have died, Lynda Pugh, Jenny Hames and Alwyn Jones. It's made me think a lot about the nature of friendship and how I wish I'd made more effort.

I met Lynda at Birmingham College of Commerce in 1967, when we both embarked on a Librarianship course, and in our second year we shared a flat together in Handsworth with six others, and whoever else felt like crashing on our tea-sodden living room floor after a night of Leonard Cohen and political debate. She stood out in our group with her sharp intellect, high forehead and Pre-Raphaelite looks, like one of Burne-Jones’ angels-the petite one.

      She was extremely well-read and her values shone through any discussion or debate. In a modest way she lived and practised those values. She had a wicked sense of humour; witty and at times surreal, always enjoying the sense of the absurd, her deep voice chortling at some faux pas or irony committed by a hapless politician, or one of our group, often me! She was non-judgemental of her friends, fiercely loyal and supportive. For her size she could really pack away the food and never put on weight. How I envied her! And in those days none of us exercised. She was also often the one who washed up our greasy dinner plates and tidied up our boyfriends’ mess.

       Lynda was very creative and a job in a library was never going to satisfy that or her need to help people in a deep, meaningful way and create social change. After leaving College she worked in London and Cambridge with the Cyrenians, putting herself in very challenging and risky situations working with homeless people, the poor and destitute. I went to live abroad and we lost touch, which I now regret.

        In December 2009 five of the original eight flatmates met up for a reunion. It was over 37 years since I’d seen Lynda. She had just retired from full-time work. It was inspiring to see how she’d grown and developed, her strong values, kindness and humour at her core…and still that throaty laugh.

Lynda died from cancer on 9^th March 2013. She was 64.

Janet Teal Daniel