Marjorie Claudine Savage

5 December 1916 - 5 December 2008

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 Marjorie Claudine Savage
(nee Leutchford)
(Marj)
This is a brief account of your life
…a remarkable tribute to:
caring, love and survival.
♥ You were born on December 5, 1916, as the adored
only child of Jesse Elizabeth Leutchford and William
James Leutchford, an optometrist.
♥ You first lived at 76 Eccles Road, Battersea, London

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♥ Your father loved you dearly and composed songs
for you including “The Flowers that Bloom in Spring”.
♥ Sadly your father passed away in 1919, from
pneumonia developed in the trenches during WWI.

William James Leutchford, front row left

♥ Following your father’s death you moved to live with
your grandparents in St James Close, Battersea
Park, where you met your lifelong friend Louie.

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Louie and Marj at Battersea Park 1995

♥You spent 7 happy years as the beloved child in the
happy extended MacKenzie household. You also had
regular contact with your father’s family including
Uncle Claude (your middle namesake) & Aunt Shilly.

Claude Leutchford
♥ In 1926 you emigrated to Australia with your mother
for a better climate to improve your health. It was a 3
month journey travelling by ship with two of your
uncles, Ron and Hec and Aunt Eadie (Mackenzie).

♥ Over the years you maintained an exceptional

memory of this journey, recounting many stories…
one of which was not being allowed to disembark at
Port Said for fear of abduction by white slave traders.
♥ Life was not always easy when you settled in Australia and you
later spoke of being teased about your English accent and trying
very hard to make it an Aussie one…which many may say was
achieved!

♥ Initially your mother worked as a dressmaker to support you and

later, having a very good business head, she soon started
acquiring real estate property that could bring in rental income.

♥ By all accounts your mother was a bit of a wag who developed

an interest in dog racing and trotting.

♥ After a couple of years your mother met Mr Nassau and they

had two boys, your brothers Teddy and Jack, whom you loved
dearly and helped raise from a young age.
Brothers Ted (with son Alan) and Jack (deceased) and your mother Jesse with
a friend in a postcard from England asking if she looks like Clara Butt, a
famous English opera singer.
♥When you were 15 you started work in the book binding industry
at Smith & Co where you met your good friend Edna Burghoffer,
whom you were later to be a bridesmaid for.

Marjorie, bridesmaid, on far left

♥Not long after you met a young man named Walter
Raleigh Savage (Roley) through his sister Gladys.
Following a two year courtship you married in 1936
 You became great friends with the Savage family,
enjoying the company of mother Ellen (left) and the
brothers and sisters with their Irish sense of fun.

Some of the Savage men hamming it up Betty, Sadie, Gladys and Marjorie
♥Your first child Wally was born in 1937.

♥Sadly your mother Jesse did not live to see her other
grandchildren as she died in 1939, aged 43, following
a battle with breast cancer.
♥As a young woman, you bore a huge burden during
this time: nursing your mother and raising Wally and
your two young brothers….but you did not complain.
 ♥In 1940 your first beautiful daughter, Beverley, was
born & a happy family life was developing.

Beverley Wally & Beverley with a message

Walter, Wally and Marj with Beverley for Uncle Joe, while away at war
♥ You then had 3 more beautiful children:
Terry Carole Valmai.

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♥ Sadly your next child, a beautiful boy named Tommy, died as a baby
aged 18 months after contracting Meningitis.
♥ We know this broke your heart and you took a long time to recover….
but you endured and had the strength to raise three more beautiful
girls:

June Roslyn Robyn

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• Life at 43 Beaconsfield Street, Bexley, the family home for over 30
years, was never dull. You cleaned the house without the assistance of
modern gadgets and spent Saturdays baking cakes and pastries for the
week. You were a great cook winning a prize for this when you were at
school…your curries, stews and soups were up there with the best.

• When money got very tight you still somehow managed to feed all the
kids with no-one ever going hungry and all maintaining good health. It
was said that you managed to “live off the smell of an oily rag”

• You had many dear neighbours including Mrs Cranston whom you and
each of your children were close to over many years.

• You also cared for a menagerie of pets in your time including chooks,
cats and many dogs (mostly strays brought home by the kids!).

• There were many others who called you “mum”, including Ron Murray
who along with your brother Ted gave great support when it was most
needed.
You never forgot your relatives in England and were thrilled to
be reunited with some of them in 1995 when at 79 years of age
you travelled (this time by plane!) to the UK and visited your
Auntie Violet (Mackenzie) and her son Roger and his family.
You also caught up with your friend Louie after 70 years.

Marj and Auntie Violet (aged 91) in her garden in Crawley UK

• Always one for a good “knees up” and having fun there were many parties and
celebrations you attended over the years.

Enjoying the New Year fireworks from the Botanical Gardens this year aged 91
 In 2006 you celebrated your 90th birthday in style with many family

members and friends.

Marj with her children, Robyn, Ros, June, Val, Carole, Terry, Bev, and Wally
Marj with cousin Dougie Mackenzie at her 90th party
At last count you had 25 Grandchildren….
45 great grand children and 10 great great grandchildren
…with more to come
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Marj, you have lived a good life and have been a truly
courageous, caring, resourceful and gracious person
whom we can all aspire to be like.

While you have many, your greatest legacy is all the

children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great
great grandchildren who survive you.

We will miss you sorely but will never forget you.