Dorothea Jude 1916 - 2009

Mrs Jude at Meldreth Church Fete
Anne Handscombe
Exhibition of work at Church Fete by Mrs Jude's students
Anne Handscombe

The following obituary and tribute first appeared in the May 2009 issue of Meldreth Matters.

Readers will be saddened to learn of the death of Mrs Dorothea Jude, on 7th April, aged 93. She was born in Arrington in 1916, the daughter of Maud and William Pell.

In 1938 Dorothea married Frank Jude, known to many of us as ‘Tom’. They started their married life in a cottage at Cam Farm where their children Trevor and Trudy were born. In the mid 1950s they moved to Whitecroft Road.

Trudy recalls that her mother’s interest in needlework started when she learned how to do smocking to enhance her daughter’s dresses. Anxious to improve her skills, Dorothea attended needlework classes in the late 1950s. Her talent blossomed and she started to teach the skills which she had learned, to students of Melbourn and Bassingbourn Village Colleges and at classes in Meldreth, including the school. Trudy recalled that, “Mum’s great love was the development of innovative methods and techniques of needlework and passing them on to others”. When she retired from teaching in the mid 1970s Dorothea was presented with an album created by students of Melbourn Village reflecting her activities.

Dorothea spent the last eight years of her life in Maycroft Nursing Home in Meldreth. Her family wish to record their thanks to Maycroft’s staff for their kindness to Dorothea during that period.

We send our condolences to her family.


Mrs Dorothea Jude a W.I. Tribute

Mrs Jude, one of our longest serving members, sadly died on Tuesday 7th April in Maycroft Nursing Home where she had been for the last few years of her life. It was a life dedicated to beautiful embroidery.

Many of us will remember her classes and the amazing things she helped and guided us to create. Her work was legendary throughout the county, and there is a needlework cup dedicated in her name. She helped Meldreth particularly, encouraging and chivvying us into entering competitions and exhibitions. She also did a lot of dedicated work with the Primary School children.

Most of our homes have some examples of our needlework proudly displayed. We didn’t all meet her exacting standards but her help and encouragement was first class and we would eventually achieve something to be proud of.

I do hope her family will preserve and display somewhere some of the exceptional work she produced.

We will always remember you Mrs Jude.

Barbara Chalkley, President, Meldreth WI

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