Edith Victoria Winifred DEAKIN (née COMBE) MBE (1897-1985)

Edith Victoria Winifred COMBE known as Winsome, was born on 2 June 1897 in Sevenhampton, Gloucestershire, the eldest daughter of George Combe, a brewer from Brockhampton, Gloucestershire and Emily Combe (née Adams).

Winsome married George Deakin MC in Northleach, Gloucestershire in 1920.

In 1928, George and Winsome are recorded as living at Stone House, Norton-by-Kempsey, Worcestershire.

Her husband, George and his younger brother James Stanley Deakin, took over the Deakin jam manufacturing business at the end of 1936 when the business was sold by their father, founder of the business William R. Deakin. The business continued to trade under the name of G. & J.S. Deakin Limited.

George and Winsome had one son, George Anthony Hartley Deakin, born Pershore, Worcestershire in 1937. It is likely that at that time George and Edith were living at Pensham Hill just outside Pershore.

By 1940, George, Winsome and son George had moved to Caulin Court, Ladywood, Droitwich.

On 9 October 1943, George tragically died in a car accident at the age of 47. The Deakin Memorial Trust (now The Deakin and Combe Memorial Trust) was set up in George Deakin’s memory to support students studying agriculture.

Windome was a Conservative Party member of the London County Council 1949-52 Kensington North (UK Parliament constituency), 1952-5 alderman. She was awarded the MBE in 1964 Birthday Honours at which time she was the One-in-Five Organiser, Southern Region, Women’s Voluntary Service.

Winsome died in 1985 in Cambridgeshire.