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Margaret started skating at the age of 7 in Dovercourt, Essex on an outdoor rink and skated there during both winter and summer, and did figures and free skating with the local professional. Later, she took up Dance and Pair Skating and just before her 12th birthday passed her Gold Dance Test.
Later, she gave many exhibitions throughout Europe and the USA and performed in front of General Franco in Spain. She attended Sports Personality of the Year Dinners, gave TV interviews in the USA. Margaret gave many technical demonstrations and instructional sessions of dance, including instructing Judges and skaters in the Italian Federation when they first started Dance skating.
Skating Career and Championships Honours
1965 British Dance Champion (with partner R. E. Gibbs)
1968 British Dance Champion (with partner P. Hicks)
1969 British Dance Champion (with partner P. Hicks)
1970 British Dance Champion (with partner P. Hicks)
1971 British Dance Champion (with partner P. Hicks)
1972 British Dance Champion (with partner P. Hicks)
International British Team member for 10 years
Coggins Trophy winner – 3 times
1st Skater to pass the Gold Star Dance Test
Inter-gold figures test passed
Coaching Career
Became a coach for a short time where her pupil won the Junior Ladies Championship and went on to skate Internationally, however she decided that judging suited her better than teaching, so she followed that path from then on.
Skating offices and Administration
Member of the National Skating Association of Great Britain (NSA)
Minute Secretary for the Committee of Artistic Roller Skating (CARS)
Member of the NSA Council
NSA Honorary District Representative for London and Essex area.
Vice President of the Federation of Artistic Roller Skating holding that position for 23 years
British Roller Sports Federation (BRSF) first President in 2001
Ran the Senior European Championships in Peterborough in 1989
Organised the Cadet/Youth European Championships in Alfreton
Organised the Cup of Europe in Buckmore Park
Margaret became an “A” class International Judge in 1972 and has judged World and European Championships and many International events every year since that time. She has also refereed every World Championship since 1977.
In 1976 she was elected to the World Technical Committee (CIPA) and was the first woman to be in this position, and has been re-elected every 4 years since. She is at the present time Vice-President of the World Committee and Chairman of the World Dance Committee.
In 2000 she was elected as President of the European Technical Committee (CEPA) and remains their President to this day. At the time there had never been a woman as President in an International position of any discipline.
Organises all European Championships and Competitions, as well as Seminars for figures/free skating/dance/pairs/precision/show, which have been held in Italy, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Great Britain and is shortly doing a Seminar for Dance in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Margaret has also been the British International Team Manager many times.
Honours
Margaret was awarded Honorary life membership to our Governing body in 1991 for her services to Roller Skating.