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| Rada librarian spent her last
night at theatre |
Clare Hope |
CLARE Hope, librarian for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts,
who died on Sunday, may not have been a household name but she was
arguably the most famous person at the school.
Before being struck down by the debilitating illness multiple sclerosis,
which left her confined to a wheelchair, Ms Hope, 62, was a regular
sight carrying books to the theatre school’s library on her
bike.
Since she began working at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada)
more than 25 years ago, the number of books in the library has increased
from 6,000 to more than 24,000, most of which were carried on Ms
Hope’s bike.
Avid theatregoer Ms Hope died in hospital following a fire at her
home in Tonbridge Street, Kings Cross, in the early hours of Saturday
morning (see page 1).
Despite suffering from MS, she remained determined to continue her
work and her weekly theatre visits – often following the rising
careers of Rada graduates.
Born in 1943, Clare, a vicar’s daughter was brought up in a
vicarage in Prestbury, Cheshire – the youngest of five children.
After her father died when she was six, the family moved to Perth
in Scotland, and then Portsmouth, where she remained until high
school.
After leaving school Clare went on to night school while working
for an airline during the day.
She studied to be a librarian at the North London Polytechnic and
it was while there that she began her affiliation with Rada, going
on to become one of the longest-serving staff members.
Her dedication to her work brought her in contact with some of the
darlings of English theatre, and she was well-known to the likes
of Kenneth Branagh and Juliet Stevenson. But it was a visit to the
annual Hay-On-Wye book festival, where her sister Elizabeth Rowe
lives, that betrayed just how well-loved she was by former students.
Ms Rowe said: “Ralph Fiennes came to Hay-On-Wye to launch a
book. I saw him look across and see her and his whole face lit up.”
She added: “The students loved her – one of them said
Clare was the most famous person at Rada.
“Clare was such an independent person. Her MS was getting worse
and she would have been miserable if she couldn’t go to the
theatre. My brother said she went with her foot on the accelerator.”
Clare’s niece Rebecca Tippets described her as a “feisty
and independent woman”.
She said her aunt would visit the theatre or cinema daily, when
she was more able-bodied, but continued to go weekly right up until
she died. She also enjoyed weekly swimming with disabled swimming
club Starfish in Camden.
Clare’s fascination with the stage is illustrated by her massive
collection of programmes, which she expanded after every performance.
Many were lost in the fire.
Ms Tippets said: “She spent her last night going to the theatre.
She did all her normal activities in her last week despite the fact
she was in a very bad state.”
Rada is planning a memorial service for Ms Hope and the funeral
is expected to take place at Holy Cross Church on Tuesday, December
13.
Roisin Gadelrab |
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