Ipswich remembers former Northgate pupil murdered in 1978

Dr Brenda Page was 32 when she died at her home in Aberdeen in 1978. It would take until March of this year for her ex-husband, Christopher Harrisson, to be jailed for her murder. 

In life, Brenda was a fiercely intelligent woman with a flourishing career, leading the genetics department at the University of Aberdeen Medical School.  

However, Brenda was born and bred in Ipswich. After passing the eleven-plus exam, she attended Northgate Grammar School, where she met Beryl Sims, nee Corbett.  

A school photograph showing Beryl Corbett (upper row, left) standing beside Brenda Page. The photo was taken whilst they were in the Lower Fifth year at Northgate Grammar School, outside the huts used as classrooms. Image: Beryl Corbett (Image: Beryl Corbett)

At school, Brenda was nicknamed ‘Pagey’ by her friends. 

“I always found Pagey good-tempered and good fun,” Beryl said. She will always remember that it was Brenda who taught her the expression the meaning of a well-known British phrase. 

“She asked if I would like to have tea with her at her house. She lived closer to the school than I did,” explained Beryl. “I asked what we would be having, and she replied, bangers and mash.” 

Beryl was bewildered, until Brenda explained that bangers and mash simply meant sausages and mashed potatoes. 

Others, too, remember Brenda.  

“About 20 years ago I met up with our old biology teacher, Miss Short,” Beryl said. “She invited my sister and me to tea, and we mentioned Pagey who had been her star pupil.  

“She is mentioned at every get-together of old school friends, so she is not forgotten."

Dr Brenda Page was a brilliant geneticist. Image: Newsquest (Image: PA)

Brenda was the younger sister of Rita Ling, now aged almost 90 and still living in Ipswich.  

Mrs Ling was interviewed by journalist Isla Traquair in 2002. Ms Traquair made history by recording the trial of Harrisson in its entirety, which she is releasing on her podcast, The Storyteller: Naked Villainy. 

“[Brenda] was much younger than me,” Mrs Ling told Ms Traquair. “When she came, I was 12 and it was as if she had two mothers. I had longed for a sister; I didn’t like being an only child.  

“She could crawl at five months and read at 10 months and read before she went to school, so we knew she was bright.” 

Her sister was, she said, ‘full of life’ and a loving aunt to Mrs Ling’s two sons. 

“When she was around, you knew she was around. She would get them the most marvelous presents at Christmas and birthdays, really thoughtful ones.  

“She was a very caring girl. She was soft about animals, the smaller and scrappier they were, the better. 

“She took in a lot of kittens, feral kittens at the hospital that nobody wanted. They weren't trained and they were really quite wild, but she managed to tame them.  

“She just was a caring person.” 

To listen to Ms Traquair's podcast, search The Storyteller: Naked Villainy on Spotify. The interview with Mrs Ling is available in Episode One.