Anne Kelly (1954 - 2010)

 

Anne was born at home in Sidcup, Kent on a snowy morning on 30^th January 1954, second child to John and Freda Thomason. Anne was a happy child, never more content than playing with her elder brother Gordon and the various family dogs. Anne was two years-old when her dad found a new job and the family moved to Mellor. From their they moved to Shadsworth where she was enrolled at Shadsworth Primary School. Following that, Anne briefly attended St James’ Primary School when they moved to Church before being accepted into Peel Park Primary School. It was there that she met her life-long friend Wendy Dugan. On discovering Wendy crying Anne said to her “don’t cry… I’ll be your friend.” They have been ever since. 

Anne and Wendy were obsessed with horses and spent many happy hours mucking out their local stable Billy Platts and later at Rileys farm. Anne took up Ballroom dancing around the age of 10 and got her medals from bronze to gold bar for Waltz, Quickstep and Foxtrot. 

Anne moved on to Rhydding’s Secondary School and at 16 went to Blackburn College of Technology and Design. Whilst studying for her City & Guilds in Ladies Hairdressing (passing in 1972) she worked part-time in Leonore’s Hairdressing Salon. During Anne's career she regularly competed in many hairdressing demonstrations and competitions proving highly successful. This later lead her to train in London under the esteemed Vidal Sassoon Salon. Her hairdressing career meant Anne travelling across the UK, once as far as Perth in Scotland, invariably with Freda as her obliging model. 

With the experience gained, Anne opened her own Hairdressing Salon in Accrington — quite a feat aged just 18. Seven years later, she sold the Salon before the birth of her first child, Steven in 1981. Her second child, Janine followed in 1983.

Anne met her life-long partner and husband Jim Kelly whilst studying at Blackburn College. Thinking that she’d met a rich man who lived on a large rural estate, her dreams were dashed when it turned out that his impressive address — Cantril Farm — was actually an inner-city estate, known locally as ‘Animal Farm’. However, love endured and on 21^st March 1976 Anne and Jim got married at St Peter & St Paul’s Church in Rishton. It was Enid Goddard (who later became Janine’s God Parent) that sang Morning Has Broken as the couple signed the wedding register. The reception took place at Anne’s parents’ house before they headed off for their honeymoon; a two-night stay in the Lake District. That same year, they bought their first house together, situated on Southwood Drive in Baxenden. In 1980 Anne and Jim found their home on nearby Scott Avenue and started a family. 

Almost five-years after their marriage, and Anne and Jim had their first child, a son. Anne wanted the name Matthew but Jim wouldn’t allow it considering it too “biblical”!! Two-and-a-half years later, the family was completed with their second child, Janine. By that time, Jim had relented: ‘let’s call her Matthew’. Typically, Anne would have none of it. 

Anne was always keen to help others and in 1988 she volunteered at St John’s Primary School as a parent helper. Initially the position was to assist with her children’s education, but she enjoyed it so much that she stayed on (unpaid Jim!) eight hours a week, for the next eight years. Anne most liked helping the children with special needs. Anne obviously was a brilliant teacher as first Steven in 1992, then Janine in 1994 passed the 11-plus examination to Bacup & Rawtenstall Grammar School. Anne took great delight in helping the children with model building and then viewing their success in the display cabinets at BRGS usually with first or second awards — specialist subject: paper maché. 

Her other love at the school was Janine’s netball matches. For five years running BRGS reached the national finals. Anne and Jim followed the matches faithfully as far away as Ipswich and Brighton, joined by their good friends Dennis and Gillian whose daughter Jenny was also in the team. 

Anne was very family orientated and lived close to Freda and John all her life. Often, along with Jim they visited his parents, Mary and Jim in Liverpool. They also enjoyed visiting Anne’s brother Gordon, his wife Judith and daughter Adelyn down in London. They stayed in close contact with Jim’s brothers and sisters and have spent many Christmas dinners at Mary and Jims, their own house and that of Jim’s brother, Michael and his partner Katie. Followed by the annual Boxing Day celebrations at Jim’s sisters’ houses, Pauline and Margaret.  

Anne, an enthusiastic traveller, loved visiting places in both the UK and abroad. Along with Jim and their group of friends, they started travelling together. Their inaugural trip took place in 1997 when the first of the group turned 50. They coached it (never again!) to Paris to celebrate Marjorie and Frank’s birthdays. The highlight of the trip was undoubtably Anne getting into the toilet at the Ritz hotel. Jim got as far as the revolving doors before being promptly escorted off the premises. They subsequently visited for the birthdays of Shelia, Graham, Glenda, Alan, Sheila, Dave, Cec and Naresh; Prague, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, York, Dublin, Barcelona and Lower Godney. Anne and Jim  enjoyed many holidays together. They had a lovely time in Texas with Jim’s brother Peter, wife Odete and daughter Joana. In Florida with Anne’s uncle Bernard and wife Joyce On another trip they travelled as far down as Key West. They also visited Krakow, Goa and many other places. 

Anne and Jim enjoyed touring round the UK visiting many of it's finest race courses. The furthest north was Perth, furthest south was Newton Abbot. Here, Steven was introduced to his first race meeting at the ripe old age of two. They were just nine short of achieving their goal to visit them all. Their favourite course was Cartmel where they especially enjoyed spending time with Dick Hunter, Paul Marney and Brian Snape.

Janine obviously caught the travelling bug off her parents and in 2002 Janine decided to go backpacking around Australia for twelve months. Although initially despair set in that her little girl was going to the other side of the world, it soon changed when Jim organised a twenty-five day holiday to Australia to coincide with Janine’s schedule. Initially staying in Perth and later moving down to Margaret River and Albany. The trip included National Parks, walks through the tree tops, whale watching and, of course, visiting numerous wineries.

Anne's other passion was walking. Joan and Alastair first inspired Anne and Jim one Easter Friday, whilst the ‘Bash crowd’ walked the short distance up the road from Sabden to the Well Springs pub for an afternoon of drinking. Alastair and Joan walked 10 miles to the top of Pendle Hill and only joined the drinking for the last hour. Impressed by the satisfaction of a pint well earned, Anne and Jim then started seriously hill walking together, persuading their close friends Bill and Chris Barry to join them. For the next thirty years they enjoyed many lovely walks especially in the the Ribble and Rossendale valleys.

Anne and Jim had hoped to have many holidays abroad once Jim retired, aged 55 in 2007. In January 2008 they went on a two month holiday to Goa in India staying in the same village as their good friends, Marion and Terry. They had a great time and hoped to return in alternative years to India and to go on many other adventures. Sadly, Anne’s cancer returned in August 2008, thirteen years after her first diagnosis of breast cancer. Chemotherapy followed for six months, but was unsuccessful and in January 2009 Anne was given only four months to live. Long term friend Dick Hunter put them in touch with a friend who was able to recommend a diet to Anne to help combat the cancer. In June 2009 the tumours had disappeared and Anne returned to relatively good health. During this period good friends Paul and Christine Snape kindly offered to let them use — free of charge — their bungalow in Anglesey. This offer was gladly taken up. Anne really enjoyed herself and was looking forward to going again in June 2010. 

At the same time Anne was very pleased that Janine had settled into a serious relationship with her boyfriend Mike and Steven with Yvonne. Anne ‘was over the moon’ when Steven proposed to Yvonne and set a date of the 31^st July 2010 for their wedding. Anne took an active role in the wedding preparations, visiting marquees and the church were they are due to marry and visiting the site of the reception. In April, when Yvonne finally found her wedding dress, she came round to the house to show it to Anne and Freda. Anne loved the dress and thought Yvonne looked beautiful in it. Whilst Anne won’t be at the wedding in body, Jim, Janine, Steven and Yvonne believe she will be there in spirit.

In June 2009, Steven and his friend Andrew walked up Mount Snowdon to raise funds for Rossendale Hospice where both Anne and Freda had received treatment. Initially they hoped to raise £100, in fact the total reached an incredible £758. Anne and Jim were so very proud of Steven’s efforts.   

 In February 2010, Anne was signed off by the oncologist Doctor Hogg until August 2010. The family was ecstatic with joy. Tragically in March, the cancer spread and Anne declined. She eventually passed away peacefully on the 29^th May — with a cheeky smile on her face  — at home with Jim by her side. She holds the rare distinction of being born at home and dying at home. She will be badly missed but not forgotten by her devoted husband Jim, loving children Steven and Janine, and her wonderful family and friends.

 

 

 

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