My partner, Celia Mason, who has died aged 86, was a teacher, probation officer and author of novels on the English civil war. She also wrote short stories and poetry.
While working as a probation officer in Birmingham in the 1980s, Celia spent a year producing an illustrated manual designed to help prison inmates whose heavy drinking had led to their conviction. Her research showed 75% of prisoners at Winson Green suffered with this affliction. Her manual led to her being presented with an award by the Princess Royal on behalf of the prisons charity the Butler Trust. The citation stated: “Her endurance and dedication are of the highest order and her initiative in a large local prison will without doubt bear fruit for many years to come.”
