Barrowford gran (80) in M65 tragedy was ‘natural mum’

Brierfield born Rosemary Carr, of Ashfield Close, attended St Joseph’s School, Nelson, before leaving aged 14 to work in a mill as a weaver, a job she would do most of her working life until retiring at 61.

Married at 18, Mrs Carr met her future husband Harry in Victoria Park, Nelson, aged 16, and worked as a weaver at Sam Holden Mill, Barrowford, for 17 years. The couple also ran a stall in Nelson Open Market for 15 years called Brutopia, supplying equipment and ingredients for home-brewing.

Outside work, Mrs Carr was a member of a local walking group and kept very fit, fitter than many younger than her, often helping to lead the group.

Mrs Carr also enjoyed working with Harry in their garden and at the council-run Grow Well Eat Well allotment in Reedyford Road, Nelson. She was also a member of the Friends of Victoria Park.

Her family say she devoted her life to being a home-maker, baker, chauffeur, hard worker, loving wife, mother and very proud grandmother. She was mother to Paul, Barbara and Karen, and grandmother to Jo, James, Natalie and Beatrice.

Mr and Mrs Carr were married for 62 years and Mrs Carr lived in the Nelson area for most of her life, 46 years of which were in Barrowford.

Paying tribute, the Carrs’ children said: “Mum was such a natural mum and she worked so hard for her family and to build loving, secure and comfortable home.

“When we were teenagers we would thank her and tell her how much we appreciated that she worked so hard to build a nice home.

“And she always replied, ‘I do it because it is important you can bring your friends back to a nice house’ which just summed up how she always thought of others before herself.”

Mrs Carr’s funeral will be held on Wednesday at noon at Burnley Crematorium. The family has requested no black ties. Flowers to Helliwells Funeral Service in Burnley Road, Colne, on 870898.