My friend Pauline Stroud, who died of cancer at the age of 92, began her acting career with a starring role in the film Lady Godiva Rides Again in 1951. Pauline played Marjorie Clark, who after playing the role of Godiva in a local town parade, is persuaded to enter the Miss Fascination Soap beauty pageant. Other contestants were played by Joan Collins, Jean Marsh and Diana Dors, and the film also featured Stanley Holloway, George Cole and Sid James.

Pauline was an only child, born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, to Leslie Stroud, an accountant, and Daisy (née Waters). She first attended a convent school – until her mother suspected she was seen as a possible recruit to the fraternity. Subsequently, she received a private education, and her lessons included ballet and horseback riding.

Lady Godiva was supposed to be the first film of a five-year deal, but when it was released Pauline had become engaged to Peter Lemos, a member of a wealthy Greek shipping family, and he didn’t want to share her. with moviegoers. She ended the engagement, but not before the contract broke down and her career prospects were in jeopardy.

Pauline went to Rada in 1952, thus doing the training-career process in a rather wrong order. She then toured as a representative in addition to appearing in television and film roles in the 70s.

In 1974 she began working in Covent Garden as an extra in ballet and opera. Her favorite work was John Copley’s production of La Bohème – starting as a nude model of Rudolfo in 1974 and ending as the little old lady at Café Momus 41 years later, at 85.

Pauline was my neighbor in Kensington, central London, for around 30 years, but we didn’t really meet until 2011 when I had her faulty TV aerial replaced. Afterwards, we often enjoyed afternoon tea (with rose wine) in each other’s apartments. I found Pauline fascinating and wanted to write her life story but she was convinced it would be very boring.

In 1981, Pauline had inherited her mother’s house in Tunbridge Wells. She moved there permanently in 2015 but remained a frequent guest of mine. Then came Covid-19 and the lockdowns, and for two of the weirdest years we talked on the phone every day until she was hospitalized in January. She always signed, in her beautiful voice, with: “Big love darling – big love.”

After her early romantic entanglements, Pauline never married – but the love of her life was Barry Woodward, a cruise director, her partner for 20 years until his death from cancer in 2002. She leaves in four cousins, Lynnette, Michael, Susan and Linda.