Sad death of Pendle sports personality

Mrs Janet Shaw, of Dunderdale Avenue, Nelson, had been involved in different sporting activities over the decades.

She mainly lived in Nelson all her life. She went to Bentley Street School, Nelson – now Marsden Community Primary – but then attended Colne Grammar School.

Mrs Shaw started her working life as a comptometer operator – calculating such things as wages – at Burnley-based firm Prestige, but then went on to work at Townhouse School, Nelson. Later, she was a pharmacy assistant at Boots Chemists, Nelson. And, after retiring there, she worked at Blacko School for three years, where her grandchildren were pupils.

Sports were a key part of her life. She played hockey as a girl, and husband Malcolm said: “She was a keen hockey player, but she later played squash, was involved in yoga, and taught people to keep fit at Linden Road, Colne. She played squash at the Thompson Centre, Burnley. She’s always been a very keen supporter of Burnley Football Club – a season ticket holder and a shareholder.

“She’s always been a sports personality and became involved in crown green bowling because this is what I’ve always been in.”

She was a treasurer of Pendle and District Bowling League and Nelson’s Thomas Street Bowling Club. She was also a county team manager for county juniors at bowling and an active member of teams.

Mr Shaw, who was an engineering lecturer at Nelson and Colne College, said: “She always liked to encourage young people, whatever they were doing. She was a leading object in the junior section at Thomas Street Bowling Club and she was also a leading light in Thomas Street getting the Queen’s Award almost two years ago. We went down to Buckingham Palace in July, 2011.”

Mrs Shaw died in the Royal Blackburn Hospital on February 28th, and her funeral took place at St Paul’s Church, Nelson, on Tuesday, followed by burial in Wheatley Lane, Fence.

As well as husband Malcolm, she leaves four children – Sue, Jane, James and Liz – and five grandchildren. Mr Shaw said: “She was always very family orientated and always looked after them well. And she was highly respected at sports clubs everywhere. She was recently involved in getting bowling wheelchairs for people in Pendle but she has sadly never seen them.”