Featured Singer: Ruth Marriott
Ruth has moved around a bit more than many of us. Born in Wimbledon, she moved with her family to New York when her father, an industrial chemist, worked there. She returned to the UK – to Dulwich, age 5 and later moved to New Malden where she lived until she went to the University of Kent in Canterbury. Her degree course in German meant a year’s study in Bavaria which was followed by a post graduate course at London University – and her first teaching job was in Garforth, Yorkshire. This was followed by homes in New Ash Green and Swanley before settling in Maidstone.
Both Ruth’s parents were singers and members of various choral groups, and Ruth was encouraged conventionally to take piano lessons and joined her church choir. Slightly less conventionally Ruth learnt to play the organ, and oboe at school, and over the last two decades has learnt to play the sax and ukulele – potentially a one woman band! She played in her school orchestras, and played oboe in an Electric Light Orchestra – not the ELO! The variety of her musical experience doesn’t only apply to instruments. She sung with her secondary school choir, and at University was involved in both light and classical opera, danced in Orpheus In the Underworld, and trod the boards in their amateur dramatic productions. Ruth joined Maidstone Choral Union in 1985, and was a founder member of The Maidstone Singers, performing in the first concerts in Pizza Express. One of the first major works that Ruth performed was Bach’s B minor mass, and together with Brahms’ German Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony, it rates among her favourites.
Ruth met Mick at the University of Kent where they attended the same course, both are fluent German speakers, and they share a love of and interest in Germany. They married in 1974, shortly after completing their degrees and have three children – all born in Dartford and Maidstone during the 1980’s. Ruth returned to teaching in 1992 at Oakwood Park where she taught French and German, and started courses in Latin. She is particularly proud of establishing Latin, and it is a sad reflection that financial pressures have caused its demise.
Ruth retired in 2012, and now focuses on an eclectic mix of interests. Both Ruth and Mick love foreign travel, and enjoy cruises – just about been round the world once – but still plenty of places to visit. Ruth is active in U3A, running a Latin study group and playing in their ukulele band. At the top of the list however is her three (nearly four) grandchildren, and when not undertaking some of the above Ruth likes to read historical novels and go to the cinema – and, oh yes, sing with TMS!
Ken Scott