- Contributed by听
- Sue Harris
- People in story:听
- Marjorie Perkins Harris
- Location of story:听
- Coventry, November 1940
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A4171448
- Contributed on:听
- 09 June 2005
My name is Sue Harris and I have just registered as a member to this
site. I understand that you are searching for recipients of the George
Medal. I am pleased to inform you that my mother was Marjorie Perkins
from Coventry. To correct some of the incorrect details please note that
Perkins was my mum's maiden name. My father was Mr. H. John Harris,
F.R.C.O. whom she was engaged to during the Blitz. They were married in
1941 after Mum received the medal at Buckingham Palace. My father and
grandmother accompanied Mum to the ceremony. My brother Graham was born
in Coventry in 1943 and I was born in Leicester, in May of 1953, after
my dad became the organist of St. John's Church there.
We immigrated to Canada 1955 but my dad died in 1963 in Orillia, Ontario where he was organist of St.Andrew鈥檚 Church. My mum remarried but widowed again in 1996.
My mum then lived with my son and I until May, 2003 when she passed away
at the age of 88. You will be thrilled to know that my mum and I met Queen
Elizabeth in Toronto in 2002 during her Golden Jubilee visit to
Canada. She recognized the medal immediately (pinned to Mum's blazer) and
asked her where she had gotten it. The look on the Queen's face when Mum
gently said to her "from your father in 1941", was absolutely priceless.
I have a picture of them talking and holding hands like long-lost friends.
I am very, very interested in hearing from you as my son and I would be
most eager to come to the ceremony on July 9th, for the unveiling. I
would of course be able to bring clippings from 1941, a story that Mum
wrote and was published by Reader's Digest here in Canada and of course,
The Medal.
My email is smharris@osmh.on.ca
My home email is s.m.harris@rogers.com
My phone number in Orillia, Ontario is
1-705-325-1215
I still have my British Citizenship and an up to date British Passport.
My mum and I had been planning another trip to visit family in Sutton
Coldfield and Milton Keynes, but unfortunately she passed away before we
could finalize plan.
God Bless you and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Harris
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