We have been notified that Miss Olive Mary Knibbs has passed away at the age of 100. 

Olive's friend Glyn Postlethwaite has sent us the following tribute:

Olive Knibbs was born in Northwood and her family came to Watford in 1926 when she was four years old.

In 1933, aged eleven, she passed the test for the Girls’ Grammar School; the fees were three guineas a term.  Olive’s favourite lesson was P.E., especially she loved climbing ropes. She was in the first netball team and played Centre.

Olive described her academic achievements as “mediocre”  but she passed her School Certificate and was very grateful for her Grammar School education.

After one term in the sixth form she found work firstly in the Civil Service and then in several other local offices.

After the war Olive trained as a teacher at Stockwell College in Kent, studying English, Divinity, Music and Art.  She taught, firstly at an Elementary School in North London and then for twenty years at Leggatts Way Secondary School in Watford.

Olive’s final teaching post was at Nower Hill High School in Harrow.  She was Head of the Department for Religious Education and she also had responsibility for assemblies and the Christmas Carol Service.

Olive was a deeply committed Christian and on most Sunday afternoons she was leading a Bible class for the Girl Crusaders’ Union.  She was very much involved in St Mary’s Church and for many years she was a member of the Church Council, also a House Group leader.  She was a member of several prayer groups and she has been described as a “Prayer Warrior”.

Reflecting on her life and work, Olive said “I think I should have spent more time making my lessons more interesting and less time on committees and such.  Your daily work is where you should be;  don’t take on too much !”

Olive had very high standards, but she was full of kindness and understanding  for all who came her way.  One young lady said of her “She was the kindest person I have ever met”.

“A long life, well lived”

If anyone from the community has any memories or stories of Olive from her days at Watford Grammar School for Girls please do share them in the comments section.

Our thoughts are with her family and friends.