Friends of Rosemary Bagley were saddened to learn of her death last Thursday June 20 at her home in Church Square. Rosemary was surely one of the characters of Rye. Born into the local family of Ashbee, she attended the Rye Collegiate School, then situated on Hilders Cliff in the premises now occupied by Rye Lodge hotel.
She was married to Geoffrey Bagley, celebrated artist, historian and former Mayor of Rye. Following his death in 1992, she took on the directing and management of the Rye Museum at the Ypres Tower. Later, she was a director of the Rye, Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital from 1996 to 2010 and helped in fund-raising.
She took great interest in the Rye Art Gallery and took an active role in its Friends’ organisation. Rosemary conscientiously attended Rye civic occasions. She loved a good party and enjoyed conversation with friends, earnestly holding and expressing her opinions.
Details of her funeral service will be known later.
Image Credits: Kenneth Bird .
We are all deeply saddened by the passing of a very fine woman
Rosemary will be dearly missed by all.
You’re flying in the heavens now darling, enjoy it ❤️
Love from Jordan, Barry, Debbie and Amber
Words cannot express the sadness felt by our family at the loss of our dear friend.
Although we are far away Rosemary you have and will always be in our hearts ♥️ and our memories.
A day will not go by without you in our thoughts.
Barry, Debbie, Amber and Jordan
(Australia)
Re: Rosemary Bagley, 1935-2019. (Rye News 27/6/10).
Having known Rosemary at times other then when following her civic duties, I have to object to her being referred to in the above article as: ‘surely one of the characters of Rye’. You must be one of the newer fellers.
Rosemary was one of the first people my late wife and I met on our arrival in Mermaid Street in 1996. Within a week or so we attended a party in Rosemary’s garden and were introduced to most of the people we were to socialise with over the next 5 years or so. It was all because of this warm, generous lady that Nancy, my American wife, ‘came home’……not always easy for people from across the North Atlantic. When Nancy died in 2000, Rosemary became a great solace and I continued to visit her from time to time after I’d moved away. The last time I visited her was last November, and now to find that she has also passed, fills me with so much sorrow and sadness. Rosemary was a wonderful character, kind and generous and will surely be missed by so many. RIP dear friend.