A prominent anti-nuclear campaigner has died, aged 90.

Sarah Hipperson of Wanstead rose to national attention in 1983 after she joined a protest at Greenham Common. She passed away on Wednesday (August 15).

The mother-of-five was best known for her role at a women’s camp at the Royal Air Force station in Berkshire to prevent cruise missiles from being stored at the site.

She was involved in direct action, such as cutting fences and obstructing vehicles.

She served 22 prison sentences, the longest being 28 days, for criminal damage but would proudly boast that she “never paid a fine.”

The group’s aim was to protest against the use of nuclear weapons and campaign for world peace while calling for the removal of cruise missiles from the site.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Mrs Hipperson was very clear on what she saw as an offence against humanity and in defiance of God.

As time went on, she and the other women saw their cause at least partially fulfilled. The Americans left Greenham Common with their weapons.

In the courts too, there were subsequent successes, with the law lords declaring the bye-laws used by the Ministry of Defence to remove the women from Greenham Common to be invalid.

In 1991, the last of the cruise missiles were removed before the Greenham Common was returned, in its natural state, to the people of Newbury.

Born in Glasgow on October 26, 1927, Mrs Hipperson had a tough upbringing.

After becoming a nurse, she emigrated to Canada, where she spent 16 years.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Mrs Hipperson with her birthday cake at her 90th birthday party 

She married and had five children before returning to the UK and settling in Wanstead in 1970.

A devoted parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Wanstead, she also found time to serve as a member of the church’s justice and peace group and sat on the bench as a Justice of the Peace.

In the early 1980s, the mother-of-five became frustrated with trying to raise awareness of nuclear weapons and showed Helen Caldacott’s film, Critical Mass, to the community.

She said at the time: “There would be a numbing effect but it went no further than that.”

A member of Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and Catholic Peace Action, the pensioner was also often called on by the media for comment on Greenham Common and nuclear weapons.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

There was no letting up for her in old age, and post 9/11 she joined the local anti-war group, Peace and Justice in East London.

In later years, the ardent campaigner spoke from the pulpit at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, where she attended mass up until her death.

In 2005 she wrote a book, Greenham, which chronicled the time on the peace protest, including a number of the court cases.

Last October, Mrs Hipperson celebrated her 90th birthday with a party attended by family and friends and was said to have been in good form.

She was supported by her family, particularly during her final months when she suffered an illness.

The devout Christian, peace campaigner, mother and grandmother is survived by her family Mark, Jane, Martin, Alistair and Matt.