Tributes to much-loved Burnley businesswoman, talented seamstress and 'remarkable' family person

Heartfelt tributes have been paid to popular businesswoman Marie Ellen Lord, who traded in the town for almost 20 years.
The late Marie Ellen LordThe late Marie Ellen Lord
The late Marie Ellen Lord

Described as a "remarkably, amazing woman who had so much love to give", Marie, who ran Quality Stitches in Standish Street, died last month after a short illness aged 68.

Born in Belfast to James and Agnes Scott, her dad was a Burnley man so the family decided to return to his roots and move back to Burnley. Marie grew up in the Bleakhouse area of the town.

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She attended Rosegrove Infants, Lowerhouse Juniors and then went onto Coal Clough Secondary School, completing her final two years in the newly-built Ivy Bank High.

On leaving school, her first job was at Lambert and Howarths shoe factory and she worked part-time behind the bar in the New Albion (now the Usha restaurant).

She met her husband, Tom Swindells when she was 16 and the couple married on June 10th, 1972. They had two children, Paul and Nicola,. Sadly, Tom died in 1982 after a short illness.

Marie married Robert Lord in 1984 and the couple were blessed with a baby girl called Danielle in 1985.

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The grandmother-of-seven's other work places included Monitor Designs (Habergham Mill) making bedding and tea towels, dress making out of old fabric that they used for the bedding.

She worked at contrast upholstery in Sabden making sofas out of leather. Her final final factory job was at Hamilton Macbrides, in Altham, making bedding. That is where she finished factory working, as she was diagnosed with breast cancer when she turned 50. After recovery, she joined a shop in Burnley called Stitch Express, who were on the lookout for experienced machinists.

After 18 months working for Stitch Express, the owners decided that the shop wasn't making enough money and were planning to close the business for good when Marie offered to buy the shop. The owners agreed providing Marie changed the shop's name hence Quality Stitches.

Paying tribute, her daughter, Danielle, said: "Mum was a capable dressmaker. She made beautiful clothes from patterns.

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"Running her own business was something that she had always wanted to do. She loved offering the service and making sure people were happy with their clothes. She soon created a large customer base with people travelling from Clitheroe, Rawtenstall, Bacup and Blackburn. Some people even sent alterations from London to their parents to fetch into the shop! Many customers over the years have become firm friends, some called in just to say hello to mum.

"She was a character for which everyone will remember her for. She was stubborn, ruthless, and determined, but she was always there for everyone."

Marie's hobbies included holidaying abroad, dominoes and darts. She was a member of the Ladies Coal Clough team.

Danielle added: "Her door was always open, her fridge was always full, and her heart had so much love to give. She loved nothing more than being the head of the family and prided herself on how big her family was. In March she was diagnosed with cancer and after a short battle, died in Burnley General Hospital.

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"Her funeral was attended by 15 members of the family, however, the funeral procession drove past her shop where the streets were lined with customers, traders and just well-wishers whose lives mum had touched.

"She was a remarkably amazing woman. Even in her final days she was thinking about others and making masks and bags for frontline NHS workers."

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