An Oxford grandmother has shared her memories of growing up with her best friend Dame Maggie Smith.
Jackie Nelson has lived on Westbury Crescent almost her whole life, attending St James Primary School nearby and raising her own family in the area.
As a child, she befriended a young girl who would become one of the most famous actresses in the world, starring in countless films including the Harry Potter franchise.
Now 91 years old, Jackie has reminisced on her memories with Maggie after the actress sadly passed away last week.
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“During the Second World War, Margaret arrived with her mother and they lodged across the road,” she said.
“We used to play together outside on the street when she was about five and I was six.
“Later her father and brothers made the move to Oxford and they bought a house on the top of Church Hill Road.
“We would play hopscotch, skip and mess about like children do.”
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The girls attended school together with Maggie in the year below and the two became great friends in that time.
“Margaret was a very shy but nice little girl,” said Jackie.
“My most vivid memory is when we were in class at the age of about 10 years old and we were asked to recite our favourite poem.
“Margaret, whose mother was Scottish, started to recite Bobby Burns’ Mouse in a broad Scottish accent and we all burst into laughter, ignoramuses that we were.
“But she burst into tears and I’ll always remember that.”
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The two lost touch after going their separate ways at the secondary school level but Jackie followed Maggie’s career with interest.
“She joined the theatre club which was on Cowley Road somewhere after we had lost touch,” she revealed.
“I went to see her many times when she was in productions at The Playhouse on Beaumont Street.
“She was wonderful and became quite the eccentric as she got older.
“I remember her at around the age of 15, skipping past our house in the middle of the road, swinging a basket and singing.
“She wanted to be noticed and she certainly achieved that in her career.”
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Jackie’s family also watched Maggie Smith star in films throughout her career with her role as a teacher in Harry Potter becoming a firm favourite in the household.
“My grandchildren are Harry Potter fans and it was my claim to fame that grandma knew Miss McGonagall.
“We have lost a wonderful actress as she was absolutely fantastic and everything she was in you could guarantee it being good.”
After losing touch with Maggie, Jackie became the owner of a dancing school with three Oxford locations, retiring at the age of 70 after 50 years of dancing.
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