Tributes have been paid this week to a former Tiffin Girls’ pupil who became one of the first women to be ordained by the Church of England, writes Rachael Burford.

Barbara Wollaston died in her sleep at her home in Guildford on February 19.

She is the aunt of Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston and was born in Teddington on October 12, 1930.

Her family moved to Surbiton shortly after and she and her two younger brothers lived there until the 1970s.

Ms Wollaston became interested in the church after regularly attending Saint Andrew’s Church in Surbiton.

Her time with the church saw her travel the country and the world.

Brother Eric Wollaston said: “Although she retired in 1994 she was working in the church right up until last year when she unfortunately had a stroke.

“She would take services in Shropshire and worked with a small women’s group in the village there.”

Ms Wollaston had reached the highest point she could as a woman in the Church of England when working at Southwark Cathedral.

The year Ms Wollaston was retiring, in 1994, the church decided women could be ordained.

She was also made a canon of Southwark Cathedral.

Mr Wollaston said: “She was definitely in the batch of first women allowed to be vicars.

“It was a great honour for her because she loved the church.”

Miss Wollaston never married or had any children but doted on her seven nieces and nephews.

Mr Wollaston said: “She was a great letter writer and often wrote to her nieces and nephews.

“Headstrong women run in the family it seems because my brother’s daughter is now an MP and often causes a bit of trouble standing up for she believes in.”