Tributes paid to dedicated former Scout leader and respected Waddington parish councillor who 'lived life to the full'

Ken was a well-known and respected member of the local community having been a Waddington Parish Councillor and vice chairman for 17 years. He also enjoyed playing bowls with the Waddington Vets, was on the Coronation Gardens Committee and enjoyed playing organ at the Waddington Methodist Church.

Ken had lived in Waddington with his wife Margaret, for 24 years.

Born in Burnley, Ken attended Able Street Secondary Modern School, before starting an engineering apprenticeship in the town with Lucas Aerospace, where he worked for over 50 years, working on amongst other things, the engines for Concorde.

Scouting played a large part of Ken’s life becoming an assistant Scout Leader in 1952 and along with five others; Fred Law, Arthur Berry, Granville Hudson, Eric Wetherell and Tom Bradshaw formed the 16th Burnley Scout Group.

Tributes have poured in from many ex-16th Burnley Scouts and their parents with messages of support: “What a fantastic man. Who could take 20 kids from the 16th Burnley Scouts camping in the rain for a week and make them have the time of their lives!” While another parent said: "He was so very influential in Dominic’s Scouting years...and passed on values that have stayed with him throughout his life, and there must be literally hundreds of 16th Burnley Scout mums and dads who could say the same.”

Ken and Margaret married in 1957 and moved to Crawshawbooth, in Rossendale, for the next 36 years, where their sons Philip and Andrew were born in 1961 and 1964.

Ken had a strong association with Rossendale, enjoying and forming a close Scouting relationship with the 2nd Rossendale Scout Band. His musical interests also included playing the church organ at both Crawshawbooth Methodist and Waddington Methodist churches.

In 1966 Ken was awarded one of the first Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowships to study Scouting in the USA, an honour he was immensely proud to receive. In the years to follow Ken, along with Scouting friends he had made in Oklahoma, arranged several exchange vacations to include boys from the 16th Burnley Scout Group. Ken was chairperson of the North West Association - a position he held for 20 years.

Scouting honours Ken was awarded included the Queens Scout award in 1952, Gilwell Wood Badge, Silver Wolf in 1992 and Chief Scouts 60 years Service Award in 2014. He became East Lancashire County Commissioner in 1989, before retiring from the position in 1999. Until his death he was Vice President of East Lancashire (Scouting) and still enjoyed being involved, even though behind the scenes.

Later in life Ken still had an interest in Scouting locally within the Clitheroe District and along with his wife Margaret, concentrated his time on his four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

As one tribute said: “He was blessed with a helpful and generous nature, which has been amply evidenced in his work within the Scouting fraternity and the local community. A very happy man, content within himself, who recognised the funny side of life, making the most of every opportunity that came his way, determined to live life to the full!”