Anna Inglis, who entertained thousands of people over decades as a member of the Temperance Two Showband, has died aged 86.
Together with her late husband Cliff, she played countless weddings, had a residence at the Queen’s Hotel, Dundee, and was a regular playing at charity events and sheltered housing complexes.
Anna was also an accomplished poet who published several books.
She has donated her original manuscripts to Dundee University archives, her daughter, Audrey Barrass said.
Move south
Anna’s last few years were spent living near her daughter in Greater Manchester where she moved in the latter stages of Cliff’s terminal illness.
Audrey said her mother quickly settled into the community, where she became known as the Lady in the Hat.
She continued to write poetry and stories and was a contributor to her local newspaper.
For almost 40 years, Anna and Cliff’s Temperance Two Showband played in pubs, clubs and at social functions in and around Dundee.
Anna was born in Lorimer Street, Dundee, in August 1935, the eldest of six children.
She was educated at Rockwell Primary School where she excelled at English and was offered a scholarship. Her parents decided against it and Anna completed her secondary education at Rockwell High School before starting her working life.
Audrey said her mother worked in various offices in the city before spending 30 years as a secretary at Dundee University.
Encounter
She had married and divorced but a chance meeting in 1981 changed the course of her life.
Anna was in Dens Road market when she encountered Cliff Inglis who was running a sheet music stall. The pair had first met at Belmont Camp, Meigle, in 1949.
He was from Glasgow and during the summer camp, Cliff had asked Anna for her address so he could write to her.
She gave it to Cliff but asked him not to write because her father would not like it.
Band formed
Cliff had also been married and divorced and the couple went on to marry and form the Temperance Two Showband.
They combined their entertaining with their day jobs, Cliff as a joiner and Anna with her work at the university.
When Cliff became ill with mesothelioma, both became involved with the charity Asbestos Action Tayside, and in 2017, Anna published an anthology of poetry in support of the organisation.
New chapter
Audrey said: “Mum moved to England in February 2018 because Cliff’s wish was to die here to make sure mum was near us.
“Cliff only lasted 10 days. Mum settled well, had a lovely house and wrote poems for the local paper.
“Mum became very unwell after the first dose of the Covid vaccine and ended up with health issues and, ultimately, that is what she died from.
Community
“Before that she was very active and people in the village really took to mum. She certainly fulfilled her life with her poetic writing and music.
“Mum certainly had a full and interesting life. On Meh Dundee, mum and Cliff have been fondly remembered. She would be astounded.
“She was a very talented lady. A one off who will be greatly missed by her family.”
Conversation