Tributes paid to Deeping St James teacher and writer Nancy Titman who has died aged 106

Tributes have been paid to a popular former teacher and town “celebrity” who died last week at the age of 106.

Nancy Titman was widely known and popular in Deeping St James where she was born, in Bridge Street, on June 2, 1918, and would ultimately settle.

“I have lived in the village my whole life and am a bit notorious,” she joked after turning 100 in 2018.

Blessed with good health and mentally agile, and supported by her children, Nancy lived independently in her own home up until Christmas 2023 when she moved into Braeburn Lodge Care Home.

“She was a celebrity in Deeping,” said Anthea Wray, Nancy’s eldest of four children.

“She had a big following with a varied amount of people here.”

Nancy, who was Christened Edith Swift, attended The Cross School and went to Stamford High School before training to be a teacher at St Peter’s College in Peterborough.

She taught in Fulham in the 1930s before being evacuated to Buckinghamshire during the Second World War, and then worked in the Middlesex town of Hayes.

But Nancy’s heart and home remained in Lincolnshire. She returned to marry Robert Titman, from Northborough, in 1947 and taught in Deeping St Nicholas for 21 years.

Family was Nancy’s great passion, pouring energy into bringing up their four children - Anthea, Bob, Marion and Deb.

She lost her husband 40 years ago, but doted on nine grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

“She has had the most wonderful life, but family has been the main thing - she kept the family together,” said Anthea.

“She had a big family and always took an interest in everybody from me, her eldest child, right down to her youngest great grandchild.”

Anthea added: “It’s her influence on us. She always taught us the lesson that it’s better to give than to receive. She instilled in us all of the good traits.

“She was very generous and loving. She loved everybody really.”

The church was “the mainstay” of her life. Nancy was baptised, confirmed and married all at the Priory Church, in Deeping St James, and lived her later years with it in near sight, close to her bungalow.

Local history and writing were among Nancy’s other great interests.

At the age of 96 she decided it was time to pay tribute to her childhood in Deeping, publishing Swift To Tell, and also wrote regularly for many local publications and contributed to several books by the village’s local history group.

“Writing was one of her great loves - she was writing right up until the day she died,” Anthea added.

“Everything was written down. So many people don’t do this, but we have got the history thanks to mum. She left a legacy to the village and the family.”

An avid reader, particularly of Helpston nature poet John Clare, Nancy was a big supporter of Deepings Community Library which posted its own tribute.

“Nancy's greatest talents were her love for life, her loving interest in the people and happenings around her, and her wonderful smile,” it read.

“With Nancy's passing, a part of history and a truly exceptional person has gone. We were proud to have known her.”

Anthea added: “We just thought she would go on forever, really.

“She has been amazing to get to 106 and still have all of her faculties and still be so interested in family and current affairs.

“She had a wonderful life and lived it right up to the end. You couldn’t ask for any more.”