Death Of ‘Lovable Character’ Nell (Contributed)

A THAME resident, who dodged the buzz bombs in wartime London to visit her mother, has died aged 98 years.
ELLEN ETHEL (NELL) McCARTHY, who had lived in Orchard Close, Thame, since 1989, was born on January 18, 1910, died peacefully in her sleep on January 27, 2008.

She was the youngest daughter of five children of a publican, Thomas Ward Hartley and Emily Catherine Cooper, who were married and ran The White Horse and Bower in Horseferry Road, Westminster.

Nell married William Dennis (Bill) McCarthy who lived round the corner in Medway Street, in 1934; they had one child, William (Billy) McCarthy the following year. Bill junior lives in Thame with his wife.

The first year or so of Nell and Bill’s married life was in a flat in Fentiman Road, Lambeth. From there they moved to Shap Crescent, Carshalton, Surrey. In 1937 they moved to Neasden where, sadly Bill died of a heart attack in 1978.

Nell leaves five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren and was a very caring and loving Nanna and Great Nanna.
Her younger brother, Joe, is 92 and still alive and ‘going strong’ in Harlow Essex.

Bill junior said: “Nell was a very caring and loving mum, particularly during the war while Dad was away. Although the buzzbombs where around we still went to see her parents at the White Horse and Bower in Westminster every alternate weekend.”

Nell was a very keen gardener and kept a very nice garden in Neasden and in Thame.

Unfortunately in very late life she needed home carers who found her to be a lovable character who knew her own mind and what she wanted.

Nell was very independent, determined, and happy to live in her own home and not go into an old people?s home ever.

Nell will be sadly missed by the family and all who knew her.
The Cremation will be held at Amersham next Wednesday, February 6, at 2.30pm.

Photo: Nell, aged 20, with her mum at brighton,