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Louie Pollard

21/ 7/2008

MUCH-loved local historian and author, Mrs Louie Pollard, has died aged 99.

Mrs Pollard, who was made a Freeman of the Borough of Hyndburn in 1996, passed away on Saturday 12 July following a chest infection.

Mrs Pollard, who had been described as "the grand old lady of Great Harwood" had a road in the town – Louie Pollard Crescent – named after her in March 2002.

She had written an assortment of books on Great Harwood and charted the history of the town for more than 55 years.

She was also one of the founder members of Great Harwood Civic Society, for which she acted as chair- man and later president.

Her son John said: "She was always friendly and got on well with everybody. She was liked by everyone.

"She was still very active in her later years right up to her death. She dedicated her energy to Great Harwood. She will be very sadly missed by a lot of people in the town."

Mrs Pollard was born in October 1908 in Saddleworth, Oldham.

She met her late husband Ernest at Saddleworth Tennis Club, where they were both promising young players, and the couple courted for eight years before marrying in 1936.

They moved to Park Lane, Great Harwood, in 1945, where they had strong links with the local Congregational church.

She later lived at Dukes Brow before moving to The Hollies Residential Home in Clayton-le-Moors, where she died.

It was not until the age of 75 that Mrs Pollard began to write. Her first book was called A Village Church, about St Bartholomew’s Church in the town. She went on to write six other books on local history.

Mrs Pollard and late husband Ernest had two children, John and Philip, and grandchildren Maxine, Lyn, Erin and Jodie. She was also mother-in-law to Jane and Barbara.

A funeral service will be held at Great Harwood United Reformed Church, Barnmeadow Lane, on Tuesday 22 July at 2pm, followed by burial in Great Harwood Cemetery.

Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "We have learned with sadness this week of the death at the age of 99 of Louie Pollard, who did sterling work for the library service in the borough.

"She was obviously a great lady and was only the fourth person to be recognised by the council as worthy of the Freedom of the Borough."

Arrangements: E T Birtwistle.