A WOMAN who worked behind the scenes running Madresfield Court to exacting standards died on Friday.

Nesta Bough spent her early years in Aberbanc Llandysul, Wales, where she attended primary school and grammar school.

She moved to Worcestershire with her parents and worked for several county families before taking up a post at Madresfield Court in 1949 as a nanny to the de la Cour children, grandchildren of Lady Beauchamp.

"She was a wonderful nanny, very loving with children, good company and she pointed our minds in the right direction," said Peter de la Cour, who now lives in Oxford.

In the mid-1950s Miss Bough became housekeeper and was in charge of 12 servants and the everyday running and cleaning of the great house.

"She ruled the household behind doors with a bit of an iron fist. She was very strict but very good," said Mr de la Cour.

During the 1960s, Miss Bough became cook to the household. Although she had never trained as a cook, she was able to make a three or four-course meal for 12 with ease and reproduce recipes for dishes that Lady Beauchamp collected on her travels to the Caribbean, Italy, America and beyond.

Mr de la Cour remembers the huge and artistic birthday cakes Miss Bough made for him, his brothers and sister, with affection. He also recalls her great love of animals, particularly his grandmother's boxer dogs.

Madresfield Court had a kitchen garden tended by six gardeners and Miss Bough ordered vegetables to be delivered each morning.

"They never dared to get it wrong with Miss Bough in charge," said Mr de la Cour. "She had tenacity, an unconventional sense of humour and was great at sussing people out."

Maude Farrow, Miss Bough's cousin, said: "She was very fond of the children and they were very fond of her. She was a really loyal person for the family."

She said her cousin had been a member of St John Ambulance for many years.

Miss Bough left Madresfield Court in 1989, after Lady Beauchamp died, and lived at the Beauchamp Community in Newland.

Mr de la Cour said Miss Bough had always intended to write a book about her experiences but never got round to it.

"It's a pity that never happened," he said.

Miss Bough's funeral will be at St Leonard's Church, Newland, on Monday (November 24), at 12.45pm.