MORE than forty people gathered at St John's Church in Bemerton to celebrate the life of an inspirational woman who lay in an unmarked grave for almost two decades.

Friends, family, local history enthusiasts and members of the community held a service in memory of Clarrie Price who died in 1996, aged 105.

For the last two years, local history enthusiast Bea Tilbrook of Quidhampton, Barb Bentham, a great niece of Clarrie’s from Canada, and Sue Amey, previous co-owner of Holmwood care home, have been researching Clarrie’s story.

She inspired great affection in all who knew her, but few knew of her eight brothers and sisters and their sad childhood in Quidhampton with a neglectful father who could not keep a job and spent all the family’s money.

One sister died suddenly of croup and two others tragically drowned in the Nadder at Quidhampton while collecting wood in 1903.

They too were buried in unmarked graves.

Much of Clarrie’s long life was spent in temporary homes, often caring for family and friends.

She outlived all her local relatives and was even sleeping on someone’s sofa at the age of ninety, but she never lost her sense of fun, nor her strong Christian faith and belief in good.

The service and dedication were followed by lunch, a display and toasts in Quidhampton Village Hall, the room where the inquest into the drownings was held.

Those present included Cliff Lodge who was taught by Clarrie at the Modern School in 1944, John Richards who knew Clarrie when she cleaned bedsits in the late sixties, Sue and Titch Amey former co-owners of the home where Clarrie spent her last seven years, and Mike Thomas, whose aunt Gladys Hunting was a friend of Clarrie’s for decades.

Family members were Barb Bentham, great niece from Canada, David Richmond, great nephew from Birmingham, and Stephen Mangan descendant of an uncle of Clarrie’s.

Salisbury chocolate and cake maker Robert Lewis was a neighbour of Clarrie’s as a child and first made her a cake for her 100th birthday when he was fifteen.

He donated another for the occasion.

Money for the headstone was donated by Price family members in three continents, and the local community.

Everyone present felt a neglect had been put right and a woman described on the new headstone as “a sweet and virtuous soul” will now be remembered.

Photos: Rev Simon Woodley blesses the headstone

Barb Bentham, great niece from Canada, reads a poem by George Herbert

Elizabeth and David Richmond (great nephew) from Birmingham

Barb Bentham, Bea Tilbrook, Sue Amey.