THE FAMILY and friends of a 104-year-old Droitwich ‘legend’ who was dubbed the Norbury Theatre’s ‘prop mistress extraordinaire’ have shared the story of her incredible life following her death.
Marge Barton, who died on July 31 aged 104, was originally from Birmingham and has a rich and storied past with Droitwich.
She completed her British Army basic training in Droitwich after becoming one of the first women conscripted in 1942 during the Second World War. Marge and her fellow conscripts marched down Friar Street to the once famous five-star Norbury House Hotel on arrival.
After joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) and later becoming a teleprinter operator in Luton, she sent and received encrypted messages during the war, becoming one of the first to know of British and Canadian troops’ arrival on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.
Ann Barton, Marge’s daughter, told the Standard the Normandy Landing messages had given Marge and her fellow operators ‘some hope’. Ann went on to describe her mum as a ‘lovely, friendly, kind, generous, thoughtful woman and a good friend’.
What Marge did not know when leaving her job at a Birmingham munitions factory to join the army in Droitwich was that years later she would settle here and become a town ‘legend’.
After the war ended, Marge opted to help out with the post-war effort in Germany and met her late husband, Londoner – Mick Barton. The pair moved to Birmingham and Mick worked at Deritend Precision Castings, a company which would later pack up and move to Vines Lane, Droitwich.
Mick and Marge moved with the company and settled in Droitwich in 1953. By 1960 Marge had begun singing with local groups and became part of the ladies’ chorus singers for the Norbury Theatre.
The couple and their children became regular visitors to the theatre, with Marge performing in many musical productions from the 1960s until the 1990s including Gilbert and Sullivan, HMS Pinafore and many cabarets and pantos.
She later worked front of house and became the famed ‘prop mistress extraordinaire’, a role she held until the age of 96.
Anne Lane, chair of the Norbury Theatre, told the Standard: “She was a legend, bless her.
“Marge was one heck of a lady. She loved musical theatre and was part and parcel of the Norbury. She will be for a long time to come.”
Marge enjoyed all of her mental faculties until the end of her life, cherishing visits from family and friends where she would reminisce on memories of days gone by.
Marge had many memories of her time at the Norbury but one anecdote she continued to tell later in life was the story of when Droitwich comedy legend, Rik Mayall worked the spotlights and she and her daughters would play the pantomime horse.
The ‘prop extraordinaire’ would tell everyone: “I’m one of the only people to have Rik Mayall shine his spotlight on my bum.”
Marge Barton’s funeral will be held next Friday, August 30.
