Tributes to legendary Stroud market stall trader who has died aged 93
TRIBUTES have been paid to a Stroud trader and 'town icon' following her recent death at the age of 93.
Mary Shiner, known for her longstanding second-hand Vintage Mary stall at Stroud's Shambles Market in The Shambles, died on Friday, May 30.
Tributes to the 'Stroud icon' poured in following the announcement of her death on social media, including from actor William Moseley and Stroud MP Dr Simon Opher.
Announcing the trader's death on social media on Tuesday, June 3, the Vintage Mary stall wrote: 'I'm very sorry to have to share our sad news with you that Vintage Mary, good friend to us all and the kindest and most amazing creator of Vintage Mary, died peacefully on the morning of May 30.
'Always totally inspiring, we will sorely miss her warmth, love, laughter and the big cheery smile as she welcomed everyone to Vintage Mary's totally-unique and very special market.
'We share all her love of the market with you all.'
MP Dr Opher commented: 'I was very sorry to hear about Mary's death.
'She was the very best of Stroud - positive and caring, and way ahead of her time commercially.
'Her Monday-morning market became a Stroud institution, and she will be much missed.'
Sheepscombe-born actor Mr Moseley - known for playing Peter Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia films and Prince Liam in the E! series The Royals - also commented: 'We are very sad to hear of Mary's passing.
'She was an incredible person, and I have many things in my home that I bought from her at the market.'
Mary, whose father and brother were Gurkha officers, was born in the Indian city of Murree (now part of Pakistan) in August 1931.
She travelled to England with her mother in 1939 in order to take her brother back to school, but they got stuck in the UK amid the outbreak of World War II.
They subsequently moved to Wales, where her mother was from, living in the Welsh seaside resort of Towyn.
Like her mother, Mary became a nurse, and she pursued her career in London.
She married Brendan, a barrister and the brother of her best friend, in 1954, and the pair moved to Amberley with their young family in 1972.
Mary's son Tim explained that the Vintage Mary stall started when Mary began selling second-hand school uniforms with fellow school mum Gerry Bowen in the late 1970s.
'She would go to jumble sales or similar events, buy Marling and Archway blazers and sell them at the stall,' he said.
'Quite quickly, it expanded, as people were asking for different items,' daughter-in-law Gail added.
Following Gerry's departure from the stall, Mary has been assisted by colleague Abi.
Vintage Mary originally traded at the Shambles Market on Friday, but has since expanded to a Monday offering with a full run of The Shambles.
Following Mary's death, a quiet corner has been established at the Vintage Mary market where people have been able to leave tributes.
Social media-users have also been sharing their memories of the trader online, with one describing her as 'an amazing Stroud icon'.
'Mary's creation of the weekly market is part of Stroud's culture, and thanks to Abi and her team, it continues to thrive,' one user wrote.
'Her commitment to Stroud's independent market community and her particular support of artists and makers was beautiful,' another said.
'There's been such an outpouring of love for her,' Gail said.
'One of my friends said: 'She only had to meet you once, and she'd never ask your name again – she'd just remember.'
'She had this amazing ability to make you feel at home.'
Woodchester Valley Vineyard in Woodchester's Convent Lane paid its own tribute to Mary on social media, describing the 93-year-old as 'a dearly-loved member of the family'.
'Mother-in-law to vineyard-founder Fiona and mother to her husband Niall, Mary was very much part of the inspiration behind planting the vineyard at Woodchester Valley, with our first few acres at Amberley being planted at the home she lived in for over 50 years,' the vineyard wrote.
'Mary was certainly from a fantastic vintage, with her amazing energy, sense of humour, warmth and ability to make anyone feel at home in her company.
'She will be hugely missed by all her friends and family, including her four children - Niall, Ceri, Charles and Tim - 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.'
Mary's ninth great-grandchild is due to be born on Mary's birthday later this summer.
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