Britain's Longest-Serving Poppy Seller Dies Days After Getting MBE

Britain's longest-serving poppy seller has died at the age of 103, nine days after being presented with her MBE.

Rosemary Powell helped her mother sell poppies on Richmond Bridge for the Royal British Legion's first Poppy Appeal in 1921, aged six.

She spent the next 97 years collecting for the charity, but announced earlier this year that she would be hanging up her tin for the final time.

The great-grandmother was awarded the MBE for her service to the Legion.

She died on August 15.

Mrs Powell is survived by three sons, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Her support for the Legion will continue after her death, with a donation from each copy of her memoir going to the charity.

In an obituary, her family said:

"She had known the cost of war.

"Four of her uncles died in the First World War; another was a lifelong invalid from Afghanistan in 1914; her fiance was killed in a plane crash and her brother, who won the MC for bravery in Egypt, died of cerebral malaria or possibly suicide; two godfathers died and her father was badly wounded at the Somme."

Mrs Powell lived close to where poppies were made in Richmond for the first Poppy Appeal, and sold them on Richmond Bridge with her mother, Evelyn.

Earlier this year, she recounted how the poppies were so popular that they "ran out in no time", and her mother made more to sell out of red crepe paper.

As a young girl, Mrs Powell went to boarding school at Downe House in Newbury, and had a "make-do-and-mend" attitude that remained throughout her life.

"It was not surprising when the family found a poignant note, her last message meant to be read after her death, written on the back of a used envelope," her obituary said.

Her father, Charles Ashton James, served with the 126th Baluchistan Infantry and was left wounded after being shot in the head during the Battle of the Somme.

Mrs Powell's first fiance, Robin Ellis, a commander in the Royal Navy, died in 1944 when the Lancaster bomber he was flying in crashed near Inverness.

Her younger brother Peter, a major in the Army, died during the Second World War.

During that conflict, Mrs Powell trained as a voluntary aid detachment (VAD) nurse providing civilian nursing to the military.

She lived in Africa for a year in the 1950s but made poppies out of paper to give to local people during Remembrance.

During 20 years living in France, Mrs Powell and her Royal Navy officer husband Selwyn sold blue cornflowers - the French equivalent to UK poppies.

Her last poppy collection was at her nursing home in London, where she was presented with her MBE.

As she inspected the medal during a short ceremony attended by her family, Mrs Powell said: "Isn't it wonderful?"

Charles Byrne, director general of the Royal British Legion, previously described Mrs Powell as "truly inspirational".

Her funeral will be held later this month, with a special memorial event at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge - where she was married in 1952 - to follow in October.