I got to lodge with Madeleine in the winter of 2006... I have the fondest memories of watching The Simpsons with Madeleine in the evenings with the gas heater on, I'd sit with her dog Collin on my lap and Madeleine had the funniest warm cackle which I will never forget. Madeleine was such a character. I loved it that she would speak to Colin in French 'because he's French'!! I always admired how honest and young at heart Madeleine was. I'm very sorry to just find out about this, but I know that Madeleine had a happy long life and felt very blessed with her family. Rest in peace xx

I lodged with Madeleine for a few months over the winter of 2004, when I was an overseas student studying at the conservatoire. There are so many great memories I have of her from that time, but perhaps the most vivid and the one which neatly shows her attitude to life is this: It was a Tuesday and so Madeleine was getting ready for the weekly film night, where she would supply the soup for her group of friends before they went down to the cinema. I asked her if my potato in the oven was going to cause any trouble to her cooking the soup. She looked at me, waited for a second, then said, "Now look here. When I was young my father died in the war. Not all young girls got on with their fathers but I did. After that happened I remember thinking that most things didn't really matter any more. I think life's important Tom. So no! I don't mind if you put a potato in the oven!" She was a wonderful lady and I was very lucky to get to know her. We kept our correspondence up for a few years after I left Australia and so I kept hearing her funny stories and tales of life. Thank you Madeleine, Tom Jackson