‘YOU’VE got to have a laugh’... that was the mantra adhered to by Margaret Sanders, who, having helped run a Newton Abbot sweet shop for nearly 50 years, passed away at the age of 93.

A familiar face to those living in the town, Margaret, with husband Stan by her side, ran Sanders Tobacconist and  Confectioners for several decades.

Starting out at premises in Bank Street at the beginning of the 1970s, the sweet shop quicky became a beloved and much frequented by those living in and around Newton Abbot.

Sanders sweet shop in Bank Street
Sanders sweet shop in Bank Street (-)

Born above the family sweet shop in Queen Street in August of 1930 the youngest child of Victor and Ellen Pollard, Margaret worked in the family business serving sweets and ice-cream from an early age.

Margaret met Stan, who was from Kingsteignton, though mutual friends, the pair forming a skittles team together - the Falcons.

The couple were married at St Paul’s Church on June 30, 1951, and had four children together: Marilyn, Janet, Merv and Julie.

Sanders sweet shop moved to Union Street in its later years
Sanders sweet shop moved to Union Street in its later years (-)

Margaret and Stan were happily married for 49 years, before Stan passed away in 1999 after a long illness; Margaret continued to run Sanders for years after, working at the shop alongside daughter Julie until it ceased trading in 2019.

She received the honour of ‘Freedom of the town’ in 2018 for her services as a retailer, which  was something she was incredibly proud of.

Margaret had a fond love of ballroom and sequence dancing, taking up this passion after Stan passed away - she danced until she broke her hip and wrist in November of 2019.

Margaret, who passed away in November, is survived by her four children, nine grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild, as well as several step grandchildren.

Margaret with her four children.
Margaret with her four children. (-)