We’re delighted to introduce Beryl Sharpe, our first resident ambassador here at Maples. Beryl, who joined us in October 2019, is effectively the voice of her fellow residents in meetings with the management team. In fact, she played a key role in co-ordinating the residents’ choice of décor for our recently opened pub.
As the eldest of four children, Beryl is no stranger to diplomacy and negotiation! Born in 1931, she grew up in Wandsworth with her parents – her mother was a housewife and her father a brewer’s drayman – and her three younger brothers. Beryl enjoyed school very much, especially scripture and literacy, and won a scholarship to Battersea county school. Unfortunately, the Blitz got in the way and the family were evacuated to Yorkshire instead.
Such was their collective determination to save enough money to move back to London that Beryl started work in a cotton mill on her 14th birthday. Her job was to remove spools of cotton from the looms when they were full, for selling onto factories and transforming into cotton reels for household sewing kits.
When the war ended, the family did indeed return to London. Beryl worked as an office clerk until she married Peter at the age of 19. Like Beryl’s three brothers, Peter was a lighterman on the River Thames, transporting goods between ships and quays via a flat-bottom barge called a lighter.
The couple had two children, daughter Sheryn and son Nick. Sadly, Sheryn has now passed away but Nick spent 24 years at the London Stock Exchange and now works as a sales rep.
Beryl retired from her job as a hospital domestic supervisor, aged 62, after 34 years in the post. “That’s amazing really, because a few days into the job I told Peter that it wasn’t for me,” she recalls. “He said I should give it a bit longer. He was right – I’m so glad that I did, as I ended up really loving the job.”
One of Beryl’s favourite stories is how she shared a joke with the Queen, whom she has met twice. Her other claim to fame is that she was good friends with famous entertainer and female impersonator Danny La Rue. She still cherishes his telegram congratulating her and Peter on their wedding day and, at one of his shows, he told the audience that he was Sheryn’s Uncle Danny, which made Sheryn very happy!
“Beryl is a larger-than-life character who is always up for a laugh. When we asked her to be the resident ambassador she jumped at the chance, as she loves a good chat. She’s also an incredibly fair lady who attends every resident meeting and offers plenty of opinions and suggestions. She has even given us some questions to ask when we interview for staff!” says home manager Tony Onabanjo.
Beryl’s greatest love is her close family including her brother, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Before lockdown she often had a room full of visitors who could be heard howling with laughter at her naughty sense of humour. Since then, her grandchildren have visited often, leaving her gifts in reception and blowing kisses through the glass doors. Everyone is so pleased that visits have now resumed.
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