Herefordshire woman protects her museum for British war heroine

Rosemary Rigby created the unique museum in Wormelow, near Ross-on-Wye, after discovering her cottage was once the holiday home of war heroine Violette Szabo.

Violette was a French-born British agent who undertook many undercover missions in France.

WW2 heroine Violette Szabo and her husband Etienne. See SWNS story SWBRspy. A woman who turned her house into a museum dedicated to a British WW2 spy says she has protected it from developers - for 1,000 years. Rosemary Rigby MBE, created the unique

She was captured by the Nazis and executed in a concentration camp at just 23 – and posthumously awarded the George Cross.

Years later, Ms Rigby then in her 20s, and her mother moved into the Herefordshire home in 1963.

She found it had been previously occupied by Violette's aunt, uncle and five cousins – and the young spy would visit there as a child.

The Violette Szabo Museum opened its doors in June 2000 and was the brain child of Rosemary Rigby MBE. Rosemary is hoping to celebrate Violette's 100th this year as she couldn't do it last year due to the covid pandemic. Wormelow, Herefordshire. See

Violette used to visit her family's home, in Wormelow, Herefordshire, during the holidays and in between her war missions.

She even taught local children how to play rounders in a field next to the property.

The Violette Szabo Museum opened its doors in June 2000 and was the brain child of Rosemary Rigby MBE. Rosemary is hoping to celebrate Violette's 100th this year as she couldn't do it last year due to the covid pandemic. Wormelow, Herefordshire. See

Since she retired from the Royal National Institute of Blind People in 1996, she has dedicated the rest of her life to sharing Violette's extraordinary story with the world.

She has turned the home into a museum – and also has ensured the field is now a "millennium" green, meaning no one can build on it for 1,000 years.

The Violette Szabo Museum opened its doors in June 2000 and was the brain child of Rosemary Rigby MBE. Rosemary is hoping to celebrate Violette's 100th this year as she couldn't do it last year due to the covid pandemic. Wormelow, Herefordshire. See

She said: "I believe the spirit of the remarkable woman should be be remembered.

''And why shouldn't she? She gave her life for our country at 23."

Violette succeeded in her first mission in France as a Special Operations Executive agent and returned to England – but it was her second mission that proved to be her last as she was caught soon after D Day while trying to coordinate the French Resistance fighters.

Ms Rigby said the cottage is filled with "all sorts of interesting things", from the packet of tea Violette drank, to the cigarettes she smoked and perfume she wore.

Rosemary inside the museum. The Violette Szabo Museum opened its doors in June 2000 and was the brain child of Rosemary Rigby MBE. Rosemary is hoping to celebrate Violette's 100th this year as she couldn't do it last year due to the covid pandemic.

She has also arranged a 100-year anniversary in Violette's memory, that will be taking place at the Violette Szabo GC Museum on July 10.

She hopes the Royal Airforce will be arranging a flypast for Violette, and there will be a parade from the village park to the museum, led by a piper.