Margaret Elizabeth Sinclair, 1927-2016

We are greatly saddened to inform members of the death of Mrs Margaret Elizabeth Sinclair on 6th December, 2016.

Margaret, and her husband John, set up the Mamie Martin Fund in 1993, (inspired by her parents early years spent in Malawi ) an inspiring organisation, dedicated to supporting young women in Malawi to access an education.

Our thoughts are with Margaret's family, the Mamie Martin Fund, and all those who knew and loved her. Her passing is a great loss to the Scotland-Malawi family, but her legacy and commitment to gender equality in Malawi will no doubt continue to inspire future generations within our community.

Margaret Sinclair, an appreciation by Mariot Dallas

When her family members went to the Registry Office to register her death recently, Margaret Sinclair’s Nyasaland birth certificate from 1927 caused much interest and conversation and eventually led to a request for her book Salt and Light and the possibility of a donation to the Mamie Martin Fund. She had died peacefully in her Falkirk nursing home and this was a fitting reminder that her work for the Mamie Martin Fund will go on. This fund has been supporting girls in secondary school in northern Malawi since 1993.

Margaret’s parents Jack and Mamie Martin were in Malawi/Nyasaland from 1921 and were delighted when she was born in Livingstonia in 1927. She always described her early Malawi life as idyllic, surrounded by warmth and love. Tragically, Mamie died in 1928 in childbirth and Margaret returned to Scotland to the care of her grandparents. Jack returned later and became minister first in Slamannan then in the Gorbals in Glasgow.

Margaret grew up in Edinburgh and Glasgow without her mother but with the knowledge of her gained from her many letters and diaries. She studied at Glasgow University and decided to pursue a career in social work, training in London as a Lady Almoner. Many years later she enjoyed the TV Call the Midwife series, saying that those stories reminded her of her London training year.

Fast forward many years and Margaret, married to John Sinclair since 1953 and approaching retirement from a busy career in social work, was keeping two of her grandchildren busy by looking through old papers in a trunk when a whole new set of Mamie and Jack letters came to light. This was a pivotal moment and led to her travelling with John to Malawi, meeting up with those who had known her parents including Maxwell and Lizzie Banda, setting up the Mamie Martin fund and writing Salt and Light.

Margaret and John had a very happy and productive life together in their 60s and 70s, living near Stirling. They were naturally gregarious and generous and many friends and relatives remember the warmth of their welcome and the energy of their many interests and projects. The first Mamie Martin Fund donors and committee members were simply their friends and family and the first AGM was in their sitting room. They laid very secure foundation for the charity, keeping the aim simple, always working in partnership with their Malawian friends and keeping the personal touch with their donor base. People always appreciated the personal thank you letters. In 2007 they stood down from the committee and in 2009 John died after a short illness. In the years after John’s death Margaret derived great pleasure from following the progress of the fund as well as hearing about the schools partnerships and from attending Livingstonia-Blantyre Fellowship meetings. She managed to keep going to Mamie Martin AGM s until this year.

In her care home, Margaret’s carers knew about her work with the Fund and some browsed the website and dipped into the book. As the dementia increased, it was harder for Margaret to remember her many achievements but she always smiled when the Mamie Martin fund was mentioned or when messages from Malawi were passed on to her. Her most frequent comment was ‘It’s so wonderful that the work is carrying on.’

Funeral details:

Margaret's funeral will be held on Monday 19 December 1.45 at Camelon Parish Church (Falkirk) then afterwards at Falkirk Crematorium and the Park Hotel.