Deaths

3 September 2021

Mrs Rothwell has been in touch to let us know the sad news that Miss Wendy Dray passed away yesterday following a long illness.

Update 11.09.2021: arrangements for Wendy Dray’s funeral have been announced. It will take place on Monday 27 September. First, a burial at Liverpool Road Cemetery, Southport [PR8 3BN] at 11am, followed by a Memorial Service at Aughton Park Baptist Church, Long Lane, Aughton, Ormskirk [L39 5BZ] at 12pm.

You are welcome to attend either or both of these. If attending the cemetery, if you arrive a few minutes early at the gate you will be able to follow the hearse to the burial plot for the graveside prayers.

Beryl Daintith has asked for no flowers but donations you wish to make will be split between Queenscourt Hospice in Southport and Wycliffe Bible Translators. There will be collection boxes at the church. Details of where people can send donations if they are not able to attend the funeral will be made available soon.

4 July 2021

Some of you have been asking or wondering about Daphne, one of the daughters of Nora and John Furness. (She was not mentioned in the article celebrating Mrs Furness’s 104th birthday.)

Permission has been given to inform you that sadly Daphne died a few years ago as a result of a car crash, which also killed her friend who was driving. The young man responsible was eventually given a prison sentence and a driving ban.

This was and is a tragic thing to happen. We hope you will appreciate why this was not made public at the time.

16 March 2021

We have received news from Paul Harper that David Smith passed away peacefully last night (15 March). He left school in 1960 and just turned 77 last Friday. Paul said he, Melvyn Oughton and David regularly met in Manchester over the past few years.

Our thoughts go to David’s family and friends during this sad time.

24 February 2021

News has been received that former pupil Pamela Robson passed away on Tuesday 23 February. Our thoughts are with David Varrie, and Pamela’s family and friends during this sad time.

19 January 2020

We are sad to hear ex-pupil Eunice Haworth (née Guest) has died. According to our records, Eunice left Birkdale in 1961. She regularly attended the Reunions.

Update 25.01.2020: Eunice’s funeral will take place at 12.30pm on Friday 7 February at the crematorium on Burnley Road in Accrington. Anyone attending does not need to wear black as Eunice loved colour. No flowers have been requested but donations for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People will be appreciated.

2 January 2020

Former pupil Paul Gore passed away peacefully in hospital yesterday (1 January). Paul left our school in 1994.

Update 07.01.2020: Paul’s funeral will take place at 1pm on Wednesday 22 January at Holy Family R.C. Church on Brompton Road, Southport.

22 July 2019

Yesterday former staff and pupils attended a Memorial Service for Morag Clark at Scarisbrick New Road Baptist Church in Southport. Morag’s nephew Robin Scott was also present with his wife Liz.

Led by Elizabeth Rothwell, there were a number of speeches and a slideshow which included photos of Morag in her younger years and several taken during her time at Birkdale School.

Robin recounted some of Morag’s early years with the family. Two ex-pupils, Victoria Haynes (nee Sefton) and David Walker, gave their own tributes to Miss Clark. Victoria’s father, Chris Sefton, talked about meeting Miss Clark for the first time and how reassuring she had been about his daughter attending the school.

Elizabeth gave an overview of Morag’s work at Birkdale School and around the world. So many things were learnt from this, including the moment Morag met Nelson Mandela in South Africa. Extracts from the numerous messages received from professionals in different countries were read out.

Thanks were given to the minister of the Baptist Church for allowing his church to be used for the service. Tea and coffee was served afterwards, which gave people a chance to catch-up and chat. It was nice to see among the ex-staff Mrs Janet Mulcahy (nee Morris) and her mother Mrs Morris, Mrs Margaret Dutton (nee Crowley), Miss Angela Baron, and Miss Baldwin.

Particular thanks must go to Elizabeth Rothwell for organising this lovely Memorial Service.

A condensed form of the speeches with some photos will be put online in due course for everyone to see.

3 July 2019

News has just been received that Maureen Howe (nee Walters) passed away on Tuesday. She was known by many as ‘Little Moe’. She was involved with Southport Centre for the Deaf for many years as Treasurer of the Tuesday Morning Club until her health worsened in 2014.

RIP Little Moe.

Update 17.07.19: Many people attended Maureen’s funeral at Southport Crematorium today, including about 10 members of Southport Centre for the Deaf, some of whom are ex-pupils of the school.

9 April 2019

We have received the sad news Miss Morag Clark passed away this morning. She had been ill for some time. Miss Clark had celebrated her 90th birthday on 19 March.

Miss Clark started teaching at our school in 1956, and was Deputy Principal for many years. She became Principal in 1976 following Mr Furness’ retirement. When Miss Clark took early retirement in 1986, she became the Overseas Adviser to a programme for hearing-impaired children at Anadolu University in Turkey. Since then, she has run workshops and overseen similar projects in many countries, including Canada, Ecuador, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and South Africa. Read more about her life and career here.

Update 14.04.19: There will be a private family funeral at the Crematorium followed immediately by a Memorial Service open to all on Saturday, 4 May at 11.45am at Hereford Baptist Church, Commercial Road, Hereford, HR1 2BP.

The family have requested family flowers only but donations if wished can be made to DELTA. Please send either to the Funeral Directors, Dawe Brothers at 115 Westfaling Street, Hereford, HR4 0JE, or directly to DELTA at 83 Sherwin Road, Nottingham, NG7 2FB.

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We have also learnt today that ex-pupil Andrew Carter passed away earlier this month. Andrew left our school in 1984.

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Our thoughts go out to family and friends of both Miss Clark and Andrew.

Updated: 14.04.19 at 1.35pm

10 December 2018

We have been informed former pupil Brian Grimshaw passed away at midnight last night. He had been suffering from cancer.

Brian left our school in 1967.

Update 14.12.18: Brian’s funeral will be taking place at 12.30pm on Friday 21 December at St Francis Church in Pemberton, near Wigan. The family has asked for donations to go to Wigan & Leigh Hospice.

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