Freda was born on 14th April 1932 to parents Jack and Annie Yare – Jack worked on the railways, Annie ‘had her hands full,’ for Freda was one of nine children, 2 boys and 7 girls. Brothers Albert and Hugh, and sisters Dot, Mary, Millie, Joan, Yvonne and Hazel.

Freda went to the village school in Long Marton and then on to Appleby where she left at the age of 14 years. She enjoyed sports and was a good runner. She went to work for the Salkeld family at Cuckoo Castle as a maid, she was there for three years before she went to work for Mrs Winter at Clickham as a maid and to look after the children. She learnt many skills while she was in service. It was there that she met Walter a farm worker also for the Winter family.

Freda and Walter got married in 1953 and went to live at the Friary Cottage. Along came their family Mike, Susan and Colin. Susan remembers coming home on the school bus, and games of cards and dominoes with Mum and Dad after supper at 6pm. When Colin was just a few weeks old they moved back up to Clickham where they had many happy years as a family, they enjoyed the country life going for walks along the lanes and in the fields especially Scrogbank Lane and Brampton Mill. Freda liked all the wildlife, bird and animals and liked to see the bird's nests in the spring.

Walter's main job was looking after the sheep and cattle, the family liked to go with him and see how many lambs had been born that day; there was sometimes a lamb in the kitchen beside the fire in a box which needed a good warming up as it was starved out in the fields. They always had a dog in the house, especially Brandy who lived to a great age and a sheep dog outside, and also a budgie called Sparkie who could talk!! Freda baked a lot mostly pasties and squares to put in Walter and the lads’ bate boxes, and other things for tea times.

Then along came Martin & Katie the grandchildren who Freda and Walter thought the world of. Gran as she was known enjoyed looking after them, they also liked the walks and often in the summer Freda would put up a picnic, they would go paddling at Brampton Mill and play ball. They also liked to go for Sunday lunch or a bar snack and a ride around the country fell bottoms. Katie would often go to Gran's and help her to bake ginger breads and chocolate cakes.

With it being a large family, there was often a wedding, everyone was there, Freda liked to join in and have a good laugh and a dance. There were many family occasions such as birthdays, Silver Wedding celebrations, Christmas and New Year, or get togethers in the gardens in the summer – “a good time was had by all”.  Freda enjoyed a good family life, the simple things, not to go far so that she was assured that everyone else was alright.

Walter died in 1987, and Mike and her lived with each other and came to live in Appleby; after a couple of moves ended up just along the road from Susan and Stephen. Susan went every day to see if she was all right and for a catch up on things. Of course her brother and sisters were also frequent visitors before Covid.  Freda loved Spring colour, with her primroses and daffodils, and loved to bake pasties and cakes for the family. She was very fond of TV quizzes like The Chase and Countdown.

The last few years were very special as her great grandchildren came along; she was known to them as "Little Gran".

A private funeral service attended by close family was held at the church on 18th February 2021.