Miss Gillian Falconer of St Andrews, 1926-2016

One of St Andrews’ most respected residents, Miss Gillian Falconer, died in her 91st year.

Miss Falconer was born on March 19 1926. Her father was the minister at Blackadder Parish Church, North Berwick, where she lived for the first few months of her life.

She was only seven months old when her father died suddenly and her mother moved to St Andrews where the family home, Mizzentop, was built. When Miss Falconer left St Leonards School she went to Somerville College, Oxford, where she read history.

While there she became friendly with Margaret Roberts – later to be known as Margaret Thatcher – and they attended talks and debates together.

Miss Falconer described Mrs Thatcher as very nice indeed and very “normal”. She regretted not following her friend into politics as they would have made a “good and powerful team”.

Miss Falconer never married, although she did find the “right one” in Oxford but he died in a motorbike accident before they could wed.

After leaving Oxford, she returned to St Andrews and initially worked as a photographer while developing her other creative skills including screen print designs on linen.

She designed tray cloths, tea towels, handkerchiefs and wall hangings, which were ordered by Liberty and the National Trust.

Miss Falconer and a group of friends ran the National Trust for Scotland shop in St Andrews, as volunteers, over many years, when it consistently had the highest sales figures in the country and the best Christmas window display designed and created by Miss Falconer.

She was also one of the originators of the setting up of STACS, the service which helps transport people to and from hospital visits.

She was an honorary vice-president of St Andrews Preservation Trust which benefited from her generous financial support and her active involvement.

Miss Falconer often donated to charity and one of her last gifts was to arrange for wheelchairs for disabled children to be sent to Burkina Faso.

Miss Falconer supported charities.