Description
British Empire Medal, EIIR, on ladies bow ribbon, Mrs Barbara Marion Glendinning, for decades of work with Women’s Royal Volunteer Service, Daughter of First Labour Mayor of Devizes.
Officially impressed: “Barbara Marion Mrs Glendinning”
In fitted Royal Mint Case of issue, unworn condition on original bow ribbon mounted for wear.
Announced in the London Gazette, 1991 New Years Honours, awarded “For services to the Devizes Women’s Royal Voluntary Service”
A detailed obituary of Barbara was published in the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald on 6th December 2012,
It can be read, including a photo of her sporting this B.E.M. at the link below:
https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/10091963.barbara-glendinning/
The obituary writes:
“Barbara Glendinning, who was involved in so many areas of the Devizes community, has died at the age of 87.
Mrs Glendinning was born in Weston-super-Mare but moved to Devizes with her family when she was three or four years old.
Her father, R P Sheppard, was the first Labour mayor of Devizes in 1935 and Mrs Glendinning was a Labour Party supporter all her life.
She was educated at St Peter’s Primary School and passed the entrance exam to the grammar school but her father could not afford the fees so she went to a training college to learn shorthand and typing.
During the Second World War she wanted to enlist as a Wren but her father would not hear of it and she did her war work in Bristol instead.
Returning to Devizes she joined the Devizes and District Amateur Dramatic Society, which subsequently became the Wharf Theatre company.
One evening a very well-dressed young man, Captain Ian Glendinning, came in. He wore a long black coat, a smart hat, shiny black shoes – but no socks. Mrs Glendinning thought: “You look interesting.”
The couple were married in 1972 in Weston-super-Mare, to where Mr Sheppard had returned for family reasons.
Mrs Glendinning worked for Maggs of Melksham until the company folded and then got a job in Devizes with the local branch of the Stroud Building Society, eventually becoming the first female branch manager.
In 1972 she became involved with the Women’s Royal Volunteer Service (WRVS), initially delivering meals on wheels, and eventually rose to become county organiser.
She received the BEM in the New Year’s Honours list in 1990 for her work for WRVS and received her award from the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sir Roland Gibbs.
Both she and Captain Glendinning were involved in the Friends of Devizes Hospital, the Devizes and District Association for the Disabled, Devizes Lions Club, SSAFA, Victim Support Wiltshire and, of course, the Wharf Theatre.
The couple had no children and Captain Glendinning died in 2003.
The funeral service for her will take place at West Wiltshire Crematorium, Semington, next Tuesday at 1pm.
Donations can be made in her name to Devizes and District Association for the Disabled, which owns and runs the Nursteed Centre.”
