Meg Knight
1942-2025
Memories of Meg by Pera Marrs

Photo by Margaret Carlyle

The record of when Meg and Hamish joined EBR has gone, but I think it was before 2007. This was the year Gordon and I took over leading the coach walks from Mac Gollifer (another recently deceased member).

Meg loved the coach walks, never missing one if possible. She strode out at the front, but slowed to ”group pace” with a grin when reminded. She began to help out, with Pat Snell, collecting the fares and taking bookings for the following month. The cash always tallied with the list of walkers, despite the odd £1 coin rolling down the aisle.

Meg was a keen runner and walker and , with Hamish, knew every path or track in and around their cottage in Cadmore End. On the day Meg was due to lead a “mystery” walk she would open her front door and decide where to go that day. The route frequently changed as we went along. “The bluebells are good up there. We will take that path. The poppies are in full flower, let’s go along here. ”Amazingly, the walk was nearly always about 7 miles, though there were occasions when we had to take the final hill at a run to get to the pub in time for food. She loved the freedom of the 10 mile walks when they were introduced. She even managed to beat Keith’s planned record feet of ascent, entirely by accident on an unplanned walk.

Meg was one of my helpful walk leaders, along with David Bailey, who always offered two or more walks for every programme and would fill in gaps when she could. Invaluable to a walk programme coordinator.

EBR had a golf society, started by Led Cooper. When he retired from the job, Meg took over until 2019. She organised two or three competitions a year. She negotiated good deals at all the local courses and arranged different competitions for all standards to join in and have fun.

Meg loved life and was always out and about, walking, running, bicycling or playing golf. It was hard when she had a stroke. She partially recovered and was allowed home after several months in hospital. Unfortunately, she had a fall and hit her head, leading to her being cared for in a nursing home until her recent death. Several of us visited her during her period of ill health, when she would chat happily about past days with EBR. Walking was never far from her mind.