She was born in Castleblaney, Ireland, in 1912, the eldest daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Frank Brook and Lady Brook as they were to become.

Her childhood was spent in Nottingham, where her father was chief constable, and she was educated at Nottingham High School and Cheltenham Ladies College. In 1929, the family moved to Carlton Lodge, near Pontefract, when her father was appointed Chief Constable of the West Riding.

From there she went to Leeds University and got a degree in social science. She worked hard and played hard, representing the university at hockey and swimming. She was also an outstanding horsewoman, having won many cups at gymkhanas as a girl and later graduating to point-to-point race standard when she rode to hounds with the Badsworth Hunt.

After witnessing a man having an epileptic fit and feeling powerless to help him she decided on a "hands-on" career as a hospital almoner rather than the one in administration she had intended and enrolled on a first-aid course. She qualified as an almoner, working in London and Preston, and was very involved in those pre NHS days with the Ladies Linen League providing linen for hospital beds as well as doing other voluntary work in local hospitals.

During the war her brother Alan, serving with British forces in Iceland, told her that what service personnel needed most of all was socks and Frances and her mother set a record in the number of socks they knitted and sent to Iceland.

In 1948 she arrived with her two children from her first marriage at the Manor House in Pool-in-Wharfedale, where with her parents she created a beautiful home renowned for hospitality. At the same time she had gone back to work and soon acquired a great reputation as head almoner of the Bradford group of hospitals.

At that time leading consultants were just starting to develop chemotherapy treatment for cancer and she helped them to raise many thousands of pounds for cancer research. Frances was always a terrific organiser of dances and garden parties and her glamour, charm and social skills ensured these events were a huge success and that the Bradford business community responded generously to her appeals for financial support.

An accomplished public speaker, she gave talks about her work as a lady almoner. It is a fantastic tribute to her work that 40 years after her retirement she received a card signed by her former colleagues and staff remembering her with affection for her leadership and example. Several of her "old girls" also attended her funeral.

In 1965 she married secondly Albert Tansley, a semi-retired wool merchant. They toured many parts of the world enjoying holidays and cruises and making the most of life. They were both excellent bridge players and members of the Otley, Ilkley and Bradford clubs.

After her husband's death in 1979 she moved to Ilkley, where she continued playing bridge.