Mary plays the last note after 70 years as Fenland church organist

For over 70 years a village church has been filled with music played on its organ by just woman, Mary Beeston.

But now, as like the Queen, she marks her Platinum anniversary as organist at St Nicolas' Church in Manea, she has decided its time to retire.

Unassuming Mary, who began learning to play the Harmonium after hearing a neighbour playing the piano at the age of 15, was presented with gifts and goodwill messages from fellow members of the congregation.

A presentation was held during a fundraising sausage and mash supper held in the Church Room and organised by Mary herself, without realising she was going to be the evening's centre of attention.

She said: "It was a complete surprise, I had no idea and if I had known I probably wouldn't have turned up as it is not me to be the centre of attention. But it was lovely and very, very emotional."

Mary explained how a girl brought up in Christchurch ended up in a neighbouring church playing its organ three times a day from a teenager.

She said: "Our neighbours had a beautiful piano and I used to hear her play and I said to my mum I would love to learn.

"We didn't have much money, my dad worked with horses, but we got an old Harmonium and my mum went out to work to pay for my piano lessons.

"The lady who was teaching me, Mary Watson, was also organist at Christchurch church and I asked her if I could learn and it started from there. I was 15 when I started piano lessons and I was 18 when I started on the organ."

After a while Mary was approached by her future husband, Herbert's, uncle to play at Manea church.

"He asked me numerous times to come and play at Manea church, but there was a draw at Christchurch church, because Herbert was there, but then he moved to Manea, so I eventually said yes, and I have been here ever since," said Mary.

"I must admit I was very nervous when I first started but the headmaster at the village school at the time was very supportive. He gave me a beautiful book of Voluntaries, and told me I would be fine. I still have that book and one of the Voluntaries that I play at the close of the service, "May your blessings surround you each day", is still one of my favourites," said Mary.

She has been seeking to retire for a number of years but has always been persuaded to stay on, but she felt that with her 70th anniversary at the keys now was the time to go.

Mary said: "I have loved it, it has been a real privilege to play, I love this church and have done a lot of fundraising for it over the years.

"I have played at the weddings of generations of families in the village, as well as funerals and Christenings. I gave up playing at funerals some time ago, because I knew everyone in the village and it was so hard, I used to sit here crying as I played and it just became too much.

"I have played so many hymns, so many times over the years so it is hard to pick one favourite, but if I had to it would be "What a friend we have in Jesus" - a friend of mine always used to ask me to play that for her."

When she first began playing she would attend church three times a day and would play throughout the service including through the responses. In recent times her playing has been reduced to just the hymns, which she said was a "piece of cake".

Now she will be joining her fellow congregation members in the pews, while the music for the service is played over a sound system.

"I know it won't be the same as having the organ playing, and it would be wonderful if someone could come and play it for us, but it is a dying art," said Mary, who concluded: "But one thing is certain I shall be popping into church and playing the organ for myself from time to time, I just love it and the sound it makes and I shall miss it after all this time."