Historian’s lasting legacy

A local historian and author has left a lasting legacy, says a Saddleworth parish councillor.

In a touching tribute at the funeral of Alan Petford, who died aged 61, Mike Buckley, said: “Alan enriched so many lives, not only in his writing, but in the hearts and minds of those left behind.”

Councillor Buckley, himself an author and respected historian, said: “Alan was a man who had studied, and was imbued with, all that was great about his native district. He was a man of wit, learning and humour.”

Mr Petford was well known and admired throughout the valleys of the South Pennines. Though he lived at Hipperholme, he spent his early life in Uppermill.

He read modern history at Oxford then pursued his interest in local history, gaining an MA from the University of Leicester. He held teaching posts in Blackburn, Hipperholme and Lancaster Grammar Schools and later moved into adult education as a regular lecturer for the Workers’ Educational Association in Saddleworth, Marsden, Hebden Bridge and other centres in the South Pennines. He was also an extra mural lecturer at Leeds University.

Mr Petford was a founder member Saddleworth Historical Society and a key collaborator and main author of many of the society’s publications.

Though retired, he maintained links with his old school. He instigated a national conference for school archivists at Hulme in October 2013, and a following conference at Kirkham Grammar School last October. At the time of his death, he was researching and writing a history of St Chad’s Church, Saddleworth, in celebration of its 800th anniversary.

The funeral service was at Saddleworth Parish Church.