Lorraine’s message to her friends and family

“All the original features have been retained inside. The garden has its original formal layout of rose beds, pond and lawns. We added to the garden’s beauty by covering the fences with many more colourful shrubs.

“We enjoy sharing our garden with the local wildlife, from bullfinches and sparrowhawks to dragonflies and squirrels.

“We had the most wonderful sea views for the majority of time here at Brookholme.”

She had worked for many years as a personal assistant to Dr John Renshaw, chairman of the British Dental Association, and had previously been employed as a PA to leading figures at Dale Electric International plc.

Her notes added: “When I left paid employment I got myself into some very rewarding voluntary positions. I became a magistrate in Scarborough’s General Adult Court and the Family Court.

“I also assisted with teaching basic subjects like English, Maths and Computer Studies at Scarborough Technical College to adults in our community with educational needs.

“No one wanted the job of Treasurer of Friends of Scarborough Art Gallery, so foolishly I took on the job for a few years. I also found the time to create the website for the Scarborough Decorative and Fine Arts Society for which I was also Honorary Secretary and Membership Secretary.

“Other hobbies included researching in the days before the internet. My husband David and I spent all of our holidays for about 10 years in various London archives. We began researching David’s German perfumery ancestors.

“About five years ago I joined Scarborough Photographic Society and was urged to enter the Annual Competition and was thrilled to find that I had won two Silver Trophies in my one and only competition.

“I encouraged David to take aninterest in photography too and we both proudly exhibited four photographs in Scarborough’s Art Gallery over two years for The Friends of Scarborough Art Gallery.

“More recently David and I have spent our time designing and creating pieces of stained glass through U3A [University of the Third Age].”