Betty Perris (née Gray) LHS 1948
Betty Gray (her first name was Constance, but she hated it!) born on the 7th April 1930. Grew up in Shepshed & joined LHS in 1940, a year early. War had started the previous year & she remembers going to school with her iron rations & gas mask, & also practising getting under the desks in case of an air raid. The Luftwaffe targeted Derby & Coventry. She either caught the bus from Shepshed to get to school, or cycled, going past the Italian POW Camp at Dishley. There was no motorway! And sometimes talking to the inmates!
Betty loved sport & showed a flair for languages (girls were not given the opportunity to study the sciences in any depth). She played tennis, rounders (Storer House Captain) & netball, for the school, obtaining her colours in those sports & also in gymnastics. In 1946 the family moved to Loughborough & Betty experienced the Big Freeze of 1947.
As she had started as a pupil at the age of 10 she had to stay in the Sixth Form for 3 years. During her last year she not only was Mary in the Tableau at the Carol Service, but also Head Girl.
Betty did well at A level & went to Sheffield University to study French & also German, Italian & Latin. She also played netball for the university & received her colours. After graduating she went to London to study at St. Godrics College to become a bi-lingual secretary. Betty worked in Hounslow for Parke Davis, a scientific firm & joined the local tennis club. In 1953 she returned to Loughborough & began working at Genatosan, in the Dermatology department. Playing tennis socially after work she met Bill Perris & they married in 1955. Daughter Lynne was born in 1958 & Betty had to give up work, although she continued doing free lance translations & typing theses. In 1963 Betty was approached by Our Lady’s Convent School, they were looking for a language graduate to teach French. Mum agreed, even though she was not a trained teacher! Eventually Betty worked full time & became Head of Faculty. She enjoyed her teaching career & retired in 1993. Sadly Bill died in 1995….but Betty continued to play tennis & spent a lot of time with her grandchildren. She also played Bridge & joined the U3A.
Betty stopped playing tennis at the age of 82! During covid, feeling isolated in Loughborough, Betty moved to live near Lynne. She enjoyed seeing more of her family & her flat was the perfect size.
Betty appears on the wall in the hall at LHS 3 times: Head Girl, County Major Scholarship & BA Hons Degree.
Betty’s older sister, Pauline (Merriman) attended LHS, & Lynne & her cousin Jane followed in the 1970s, & cousin Richard attended LGS.
Betty died on 9th January 2024 following a severe stroke she had suffered just before Christmas, our thoughts are with her daughter, Lynne (LHS, 1977)
