Ann Wigglesworth, one of Aberdeen’s Women of the Year in 1985, has died aged 83.
In the 1980s, she brought the Fairtrade movement to the city and established a shop in the crypt of St Nicholas Kirk.
It was for her work on behalf of Fairtrade and her contribution to Aberdeen life that Ann was named as one of three Women of the Year. The 1985 theme of the award was peace.
Teaching
She also spent many years teaching at Aberdeen Grammar School, Hazlehead, Northfield and Torry academies.
Ann and her husband, Chris, were active in the Labour Party in Aberdeen and members of St George’s Church in Tillydrone.
She was born in Wallasey, Merseyside, in March, 1939 to Cliff and Mary Livesey and had a younger brother John.
Ann attended Oldershaw School where she excelled academically, at sport and was one of the first Queen’s Guides in Wallasey.
Graduation
She studied zoology at Girton College, Cambridge, graduated in 1961 and spent a year working in a refugee camp in Austria for people displaced by the Second World War.
In 1958 she met her future husband, Chris Wigglesworth, on a train on the way to a Christian study camp on the Isle of Raasay.
They married in 1962 and throughout their long marriage they combined their strong faith with a commitment to social change.
After their marriage, the couple moved to Huddersfield where Ann taught until the birth of their first child, Judith.
In 1964, the family moved to Edinburgh. Ann worked at the Traverse Theatre and hosted international students in their home while Chris completed his PhD and undertook a Bachelor of Divinity degree at New College.
India
He went on to take a role with the Church of Scotland working in water development, which took the family to India in 1967.
Their son, John, was born in India and Ann established a Montessori school and volunteered with a charity supporting Bombay slum dwellers.
It was in 1979 that the family left India for Aberdeen where Ann began teaching in city secondary schools.
In the early 1980s, Ann headed a team of volunteers in opening the Fairtrade shop at St Nicholas, selling tea, coffee, jewellery and clothes.
Tribute
Sue Good of Aberdeen Fairtrade steering group, said: “Ann is firmly established as one of the pioneers of Fairtrade in Aberdeen and, as such, will be remembered.”
Ann and Chris moved to Edinburgh in 1987 where she taught at Graysmill School, volunteered with Citizens Advice and was active in the Labour movement.
She is survived by her children Judith, Karen, Sara and John and grandchildren Aslan, Josie, Nurhan, Lucas and Cassia.
A service to celebrate Ann Wigglesworth’s life will be held at 11am on Friday October 14 at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh. All are welcome to view here on the day.
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