With the death of Meg Kirby in July at the age of 95, The Questors lost one of its most distinctive personalities and longest-serving members.

Meg joined in 1949 along with her equally well-known husband Eric and for nearly fifty years the pair of 'Egg and Meric' as they were affectionately known made an enormous contribution until Eric's death about five years ago.

Meg's speciality was catering for those many special events we used to have in the early days. She supplied hundreds of meals during the old International Amateur Theatre Week, where companies came from all over the world and she would be working twelve-hour shifts seeing they did not go hungry. She also served in the box office and together with Eric ran the box office at The Questors' first visit to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1977 with The Coarse Acting Show. Fortunately this was so successful that all the tickets for the whole run were sold by the second night and Meg merely had to deal with returns after that!

She also raised thousands of pounds with her magnificent gift stall in the foyer at Christmas, and was a gifted teacher who published a book of her exploratory walks round London with her pupils.

Most of Meg's work was being in the background, supporting Eric as he wrote and performed endless music for The Questors, and in providing a haven of hospitality for members at their home in Southall and later near the theatre. Here, they brought up their two children, Mark and Steve, who also became Questors. She was a lovely lady and her many friends were grateful for having known her. There will be a chance to pay tribute in January, when her sons are sponsoring the production of Hay Fever in her memory and it is hoped Meg's old friends will come in force to pay their respects to a remarkable lady and a great Questor.

Mike Green
October 2008