Kingsbridge’s Cookworthy Museum are appealing for help from people who knew Margaret Lorenz, former head of Kingsbridge School.

In March 2018, the Cookworthy Museum will reopen with a new exhibition on the life and legacy of Margaret Lorenz and the museum would like to appeal for your help.

Many of you will know Margaret as the former headmistress of Kingsbridge Community College, or Kingsbridge School as it was at the time. When she took up her post in 1969 she was the first female Head of a Secondary School in Devon. To many she was always ‘Miss Lorenz’.

Alison Tarneberg, née Harmer, when she was helping to organise a reunion for the Kingsbridge class of 1973 this summer, said: “At school we would wear our skirts high and our platform shoes high. We didn’t always get away with it and Miss Lorenz would haul us in to have our skirts measured above the knee; only to be rolled up as soon as we’d left her office.”

Holly Trubshawe, curatorial assistant at Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum, said: “Does this spark off any memories for you?

“Beneath that aura of authority and discipline was a woman who cared deeply about the welfare of her pupils. One of her pet projects was to establish an outdoor pursuit centre at Cadworthy on Dartmoor. Do you have any memories of Margaret’s involvement with this?

“There are many aspects of Margaret’s life that are something of a mystery. We know she came to Kingsbridge long before she was Headmistress of the School. After the War she served in the WRAF and was stationed at Bolberry. Do you have any information or knowledge of Margaret at this time?

“Margaret loved Kingsbridge and was an outspoken champion of its people and way of life. We now all take our lovely swimming pool at the sports centre for granted but many of you may remember the long campaign to get a pool which Margaret helped to spearhead.

“Do you have any memories of the setting up of KADSPA - the Kingsbridge & District Swimming Pool Association?”

Following her retirement from Kingsbridge Community College Margaret became chair of the Cookworthy Museum. She was totally committed to her work at the museum and fully understood the difficulties of running a small independent museum on a shoestring with a team of volunteers.

As one volunteer records: “She would martial her troops, chivvy, frequently mention deadlines and enthusiastically support any idea we might have, provided we didn’t spend any money.

“It is no wonder she won the prestigious Gulbenkian Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement with Limited Resources’.”

If you have any recollections or memories or photographs of Margaret you would like to contribute to this exhibition, the museum would be delighted to hear from you. Any documents or photos can be scanned and returned to you.

Please contact Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum on 853235 or email: [email protected].