Glady Marion "Rusty" Minter

1937 - 2020  (83 years)

• Name	Glady Marion "Rusty" Minter
  Nickname	Rusty
  Birth	1937	Abbassiyeh, Egypt   [1]
  Gender	Female
  _UID	7DE18D71D2F940638AED32C213B98275F8A9
  Death	3 Dec 2020	Portsmouth, Hampshire   [2]
  Notes	The News (Portsmouth) 1 October 2019: WHAT began with a souvenir from a day trip to Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1980 has spiralled into an obsession that could soon land Gladys Minter a world record. It was then the now 82-year-old visited the Staffordshire town and bought a single thimble for £6.25 bearing her star sign, Aquarius. Fast-forward 39 years – and 26,961-and-a-half thimbles now fill her one-bedroom flat in Leigh Park. She counts the half because one is broken. The retired Portsmouth dockyard worker today takes her collection public as friends urge her to try and score a world record with it. Guinness’ benchmark for the largest collection of thimbles is currently 8,003, set by Robert Harper of Ontario, Canada, in 2013. ‘I suppose it would be quite a laugh to have a world record,’ said Gladys, who is known as Rusty by friends because of her red hair. ‘I’ve never been after any kudos for myself with my thimbles – I just collect them because I love to see them. ‘Looking at them for the first time is such a thrill because it’s lovely to see things you never even thought could go on a thimble.’ Gladys’ haul features thimbles made of wood, rubber, pewter, leather and yarn, with countless sets depicting different items and events. Among these, one is decorated with penny farthing coins, another commemorates the Falklands War and one is topped with a mini greenhouse. So far she has organised 13,575 of the thimbles alphabetically and has even defended parts of her collection from a spat after her 2006 divorce. Since then it has grown by the thousand thanks to finds at car boot sales, charity shops and auctions. ‘I think people would think I’m crazy if they saw it all but I don't care,’ she said. ‘It looks like absolute chaos, but to me it’s organised chaos. ‘I'd love to collect more but the thing stopping me is the fact I’ve not got room.' She added: ‘I’d like to find someone who can help me set up a little museum where my thimbles and other things people have collected can go. ‘It’s amazing what people collect and I want to give something back to Leigh Park.’ From legacy.com: MINTER Gladys Marion (Rusty) Passed away peacefully at home on December 3rd. Precious memories stored deep in my heart of times long ago when we were young. No time to bid farewell or have a chat. The last we talked, just a few weeks ago, was all about Egypt the land of her birth. Happy memories come flooding back too numerous to mention. At peace now with dear Mum and Dad and sisters Pat and Jacqueline. God Bless from Shirley (sister), niece Debbie and nephew Gary and their families. Published by Portsmouth News on Dec. 16, 2020.
  Person ID	I5506	Ash, Kent
  Last Modified	29 Mar 2024

  
  

  Father	Jack Thomas Minter,   b. 28 Dec 1903, Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, Hampshire d. Sep 1977, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Age 73 years)
  Mother	Mabel COCKRAM,   b. 17 Nov 1903, Portsmouth RD d. Feb 1995, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Age 91 years)
  Marriage	Sep 1928	Portsmouth, Hampshire   [3]
  Family ID	F230	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Charles E J BISHOP,   b. 11 May 1927, Portsmouth RD d. Nov 2000, Portsmouth RD (Age 73 years)
  Marriage	Jun 1974	Portsmouth RD   [4]
  Marital status	Divorced
  Family ID	F1548	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	2 Oct 2019

  
  

• Event Map

  Death - 3 Dec 2020 - Portsmouth, Hampshire  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S453] Gro Army Birth Indices (1881 To 1965) at findmypast.co.uk, 1937, page 442, line 46. (Reliability: 3). [S3] BMD index, Q4 2020 Hampshire 504-1K/521490994 . (Reliability: 3). [S3] BMD index. [S3] BMD index, Q2 1974 Portsmouth 20/838. (Reliability: 3).