Rebecca Marjorie ProopsOBE (formerlyRayle, néeIsrael; 10 August 1911 – 10 November 1996) was a journalist andagony aunt in the United Kingdom, writing the columnDear Marje for theDaily Mirror newspaper.
Proops was born inWoking,Surrey,[1] as the elder daughter of Alfred (a publican) and Martha Israel (née Rayle). Alfred Israel later had the family name changed to Rayle. The family moved toLondon and Proops was educated atDalston County Grammar School. She excelled at English and art, and had a finecontralto voice. Her teachers, nevertheless, advised her againstmatriculation. Instead, she took a drawing course that enabled her to get a job in a studio nearSmithfield. In 1935, she married Sidney Joseph Proops, with whom she had a son, Robert.[1]
In 1939, Proops became a journalist. Her first job was as fashion correspondent for theDaily Mirror. Following the death of the problem page editor, Proops was given the job of reading and answering her correspondence, and soon became the agony aunt herself, a post she held until her own death. As well as being an adviser, she used her column to campaign for numerous causes. One that she advocated for was the establishment of special "suites" for the treatment and interviewing of rape victims, to minimise the stigma of reporting such crimes.[2]
Her radio appearances included a guest spot on theBBC Radio 4 comedy programmeJust a Minute. Her bookPride, Prejudice and Proops (Time Remembered) was published in 1975, followed byDear Marje a year later.
In 1971Gilbert O'Sullivan mentioned her in his second singleUnderneath The Blanket Go.
In 1983The Gymslips wrote a song about her articles titledDear Marje.[citation needed]
She was appointedOBE in 1969, awarded Woman of the Year in 1984, had awaxwork inMadame Tussauds in 1977 and in 1971 appeared onThis is Your Life.[1] In 2008 it was reported that aBBC biopic drama about her life was in production.[3][needs update]
Proops died on 10 November 1996, aged 85.[1] She is buried atGolders Green Jewish Cemetery, in London, England.
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