1990

Mary's diary for 1940 was used by the author Dennis Knight as the basis for his book Harvest of Messerschmitts which tells the story of Elham and events during the Battle of Britain. She was educated at Rigden's private school and then accepted to the Simon Langton Girls' School even though she failed the entrance exam. Later she went to University College and Goldsmiths' College, London where she lived away from the sheltered life of Elham. She read English and Latin, emerging with an honours degree and the University Diploma in Education. At the outbreak of war she was teaching at a private school in Folkestone, but this closed down.