Sheila O’Neill
Sheila O’Neill – “The Flower Lady”
All that is known for certain about Sheila O’Neill is that she was not a local lady; whilst no one knew where she really came from it was said that she was high ranking civil servant in London (with connections to Pewsey through the Spanswick family) who spent her holidays going round the country raising money for charity at various Carnivals.
During the sixties and seventies she would always turn up on Carnival day dressed in her colourful Pearly Queen costume ready to join the parade and ‘work the crowds’ … and very good at it she was too for her collecting boxes were always handed-in full to the brim.
A gracious lady who certainly added a very great deal to both the Carnival spirit and coffers.
