Former Padiham GP who played an active role in the town dies at the age of 92

Dr Michael Crompton Maw was born in Wakefield but grew up in Edinburgh where he attended both school and university before moving south after his graduation to take up junior doctor posts in York and Carlisle hospitals.

He met his wife Sheila in York and they married in 1952. After completing national service with the Royal Navy and GP training in Cheshire the couple and their son, Richard, moved to Padiham, where Dr Maw took up a GP partnership with Dr Maurice O'Reilly. This was to become a long standing partnership which continued until the retirement of Dr O'Reilly.

A well known figure in the town, Dr Maw was active in many community events and initiatives. As a keen swimmer he became a regular at the newly opened swimming baths and got involved in the' teach children to swim' programme.

Dr Maw also played cricket for the Padiham, turning out regularly for the Tuesday league at their grounds in the Arbories and in 1966 he was a very proud consort to his wife when, as a long standing and highly regarded local councillor, she was elected Chairman of Padiham Urban District Council.

Another interest for Dr Maw was rally driving and hill climbing, an activity he enjoyed as a member of Calder Vale Motor Club alongside his fellow Padiham resident and friend, local dentist, Jack Law.

A keen golfer and an active member of Whalley Golf Club, the clubhouse was conveniently located just down the road from his home in Whalley so he could often be found putting the world to rights, another favourite pastime, on the 19th hole, or the 10th in Whalley.

But Dr Maw’s lifelong passion was hill walking and it was Padiham’s proximity to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales that first attracted him to the area.

He liked to refer to himself as a long distance walker, never a rambler, and spent much of his spare time conquering peaks throughout the UK. He was fortunate in being able to continue with this hobby until well into his 80’s.

If Dr Maw wasn’t in the hills or on the golf course he was pottering around the grounds of his beloved home, mending fences, mowing, gardening, tending – in fact turning his very practical hand to any jobs that needed doing.

Dr Maw, who died a month short of his 93rd birthday, had been ill for some time.

He leaves Sheila, his wife of 68 years, and also children, Richard, Alison and; Fiona, daughter and sons in law, Nora, Brian and Ian and grandchildren, Thomas, Jonathon and Michael.