Accrington sex change teacher found dead

11:00am Friday 22nd March 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Vanessa Cornall, Crime reporter

TRAGEDY: Lucy Meadows pictured before she announced she was changing her name from Nathan Upton. TRAGEDY: Lucy Meadows pictured before she announced she was changing her name from Nathan Upton.

A MALE teacher who decided to live as a woman has been found dead at her home.

Nathan Upton, who went through a ‘transition’ to become Lucy Meadows at Christmas, was still teaching at St Mary Magdalen’s CofE Primary School, in Accrington before her death.

It is understood a family member raised the alarm after finding the Year Six teacher dead at her home in Ramsbottom Street, Accrington.

Police were called to the house but said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Tributes have since been paid to the ‘much loved’ 32-year-old, who told her pupils she had simply been born with ‘a girl’s brain in a boy’s body’.

Karen Hardman, headteacher of St Mary Magdalen's CofE Primary School, said her thoughts were with Miss Meadows’ family.

She said: “News of Lucy's death has come as a tremendous shock to everyone in the school.

“She was a greatly valued member of our staff and we send her family and friends our sympathy and prayers.

“We are working closely with the county council and the diocese to ensure we offer our pupils and staff the support they need.

“I would ask people to respect the privacy of everyone involved at this difficult time."

Residents living in the same street as Lucy, who had two children, said they were also ‘shocked’ and ‘saddened’ by news of her death.

One resident said: “This news is so very sad.

“Lucy was a lovely person who deserved to live her life as she wanted.

“I only saw her the other week walking towards the school where she worked and she said the transition was going well and that people were accepting her.

“She was a nice person that never did anyone any harm.”

Another resident said: “Lucy used to live next door with her wife Ruth and their children.

“I saw the police and ambulance on Tuesday.

“It’s terribly sad. Lucy would visit the shop where I work with her children and she always seemed chirpy.”

Neighbour and a father of a child at the school where Miss Meadows worked, Jason Caulfield, 38, said: “I saw the ambulance and the police attend Lucy’s home on Tuesday around 4pm.

“It’s really sad. Personally I have no opinion either way about the way she chose to live her life.”

Tributes were also being paid over social networking site Facebook.

Sushannah Courtney posted: “Feel so sad right now. RIP Miss Meadows, you were a very brave lady and a much loved teacher.

“You were a credit to our school and you will never be forgotten.”

Youngsters at the Devonshire Street school will now be offered pastoral and practical support by the Diocese of Blackburn.

A spokesman for the Diocese said: “We are deeply saddened to hear the news about Lucy Meadows. Our thoughts and prayers go out first to her family and friends at this extremely difficult time.

“Also in our prayers are the staff and pupils at the school for whom this news will have been a tremendous shock. Lucy was a valued and well-liked member of the team at St Mary Magdalen’s and her loss will be felt deeply by everyone associated with the school.

“At this point, Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education is working closely with Lancashire County Council in response to the news to offer the school pastoral and practical support and we would ask that the school is left in peace to allow that response to be managed as effectively as possible.”

Parents were notified about Miss Meadows decision to return to school as a woman in an end of year newsletter.

Each class was spoken to about the change by headteacher Karen Hardman, who said she was fully in support of Miss Meadows’ decision.

In a statement at Christmas Miss Meadows said: “This has been a long and difficult journey for me, and it was certainly not an easy decision to make. I am grateful to governors and colleagues at St Mary Magdalen's for their support.

"I'd now ask for my privacy to be respected so that I can continue with my job, which I'm committed to and which I enjoy very much."

Yesterday a police spokesman said: “At 4.45pm on Tuesday police were called by the ambulance service to a report of a sudden death at an address on Ramsbottom Street in Accrington.

“There are no suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared and passed to the coroner.”

Comments(42)

robynd says...
11:25am Fri 22 Mar 13

RIP Lucy. I hope your death is not in vain. My thoughts are with your family and the school community.

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Casper's mum says...
11:55am Fri 22 Mar 13

Such a sad story. Perhaps if the local and national media hadn't made such a big deal of this story, Lucy may have been able to go through the transition phase without worry. RIP, malicious, narrow-minded comments can't hurt you anymore x

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Fingerbang says...
12:01pm Fri 22 Mar 13

The LT should be appalled after the sensationalist story they ran originally. Perhaps they should think about what part they played in this tragedy

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Carl_J_S says...
12:16pm Fri 22 Mar 13

RIP Lucy, the haters and media have blood on their hands again. Shocking and so very sad.

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Whydidtheybanme? says...
12:45pm Fri 22 Mar 13

R.i.p. obviously he / she wasn't in a very good place and maybe the medics and friends and family will (with the benefit of hindsight) have wished they'd have advised he / she to move away and start a new life.

I don't for 1 second claim to understand the complexities of how he / she felt, however i can understand why people cannot tolerate or accept this as "normal" behaviour - in particular if this person is teaching their kids.

A sad waste of a young life whether you agree with the gender change or not.

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mys says...
12:47pm Fri 22 Mar 13

So very sad,maybe if the nasty parents that made a big issue over this teachers lifestyle at Christmas kept there sick opinions to themselves instead of judging her,she might have felt stronger to cope with her new gender,I hope these sick individuals can sleep at night knowing they caused this poor tragedy ,RIP Lucy no one can hurt you anymore xxx

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Babzkhan says...
1:05pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Very sad to hear mrs meadows u was loved by kidz dey r upset dat ur not in school to teach dem rip u will be miss

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Babzkhan says...
1:10pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Sorry mispelt u will be missed rip mrs meadows

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doggydog says...
1:33pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Well done to all those that made her life so bad that she had to end it. Narrow minded, selfish are just some of the words i would describe these poor excuses of humanity.Just hope all those that had a go get their come uppences one day and i for 1 will not lose sleep when that day comes. RIP Lucy

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Norma_scock says...
1:37pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Babzkhan wrote:
Sorry mispelt u will be missed rip mrs meadows
The whole post you made has spelling issues.

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badref says...
1:39pm Fri 22 Mar 13

One would have hoped lessons would have been learned from the ridiculously frentic, sensationalist, and kneejerk reaction to Lucy's original transgender decision. Yet here we have people labelling her as a coward for ending her life. Nobody knows the extent of the mental turmoil from which Lucy was suffering. Given the base human instinct is for survivial, clearly any person who makes a decision to commit suicide does so irrationally and whilst their mind is disturbed. Are they really deserving of condemnation?

Lucy Meadows was a warm human being whose personality, commitment, and professional expertise has benefited the lives of many children and young people. They, along with Lucy's family and colleagues will be devastated by her death. This is a tragic story on many levels and perhaps if questions do need to be asked about how it happened, we should all start by looking in the mirror.

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phillyrovers says...
1:45pm Fri 22 Mar 13

I might be missing something here? Where does the article state that this was suicide? RIP Miss Meadows.

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Interocitor says...
1:51pm Fri 22 Mar 13

I hope that some of the parents, along with those who posted bigoted comments, will think twice in the future before spurting out their simpleminded prejudice.

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lcjfm03 says...
2:52pm Fri 22 Mar 13

And what has this rag to say about it's part in this? Splashing the story all over the bill boards, a disgrace!

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Morag Crump says...
2:56pm Fri 22 Mar 13

jennyspain wrote:
Fingerbang wrote: The LT should be appalled after the sensationalist story they ran originally. Perhaps they should think about what part they played in this tragedy
Isn't it the job of a paper to report stories that maybe shock us?? Such a sad story but blaming the local paper, as much as life can be hard, suicide is a cowards way out, I feel for the family and friends she leaves behind. RIP
'a cowards way out' ? Really ?? Well then you should pray to God that you are never in that situation. What a revolting, thoughtless comment.

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emmaroy says...
3:08pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Morag Crump wrote:
jennyspain wrote:
Fingerbang wrote: The LT should be appalled after the sensationalist story they ran originally. Perhaps they should think about what part they played in this tragedy
Isn't it the job of a paper to report stories that maybe shock us?? Such a sad story but blaming the local paper, as much as life can be hard, suicide is a cowards way out, I feel for the family and friends she leaves behind. RIP
'a cowards way out' ? Really ?? Well then you should pray to God that you are never in that situation. What a revolting, thoughtless comment.
exactly disgraceful just hope it never happens to you!!!

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Excluded again says...
3:10pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Those people in the community and the parents who hounded Lucy Meadows because they were uncomfortable explaining to their children what she had gone through, now have the task of exaplining to their children her tragic death. I'm not sure that they will find this easier to explain.

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sue911 says...
3:13pm Fri 22 Mar 13

my 2 grandchildren go to st mary mag's and are deeply upset about this more so when some idiot parents shouting the odd's you know who you are cowie at least ms meadows had a job and was well respected...........
.......

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Casper's mum says...
3:16pm Fri 22 Mar 13

jennyspain wrote:
Fingerbang wrote:
The LT should be appalled after the sensationalist story they ran originally. Perhaps they should think about what part they played in this tragedy
Isn't it the job of a paper to report stories that maybe shock us?? Such a sad story but blaming the local paper, as much as life can be hard, suicide is a cowards way out, I feel for the family and friends she leaves behind. RIP
A friend of a friend had gender reassignment a few years ago (as do many people each year) but the press didn't feel the need to run with the story, maybe that's because in Lucy's instance she was a teacher and people were "concerned" by what it would do to the children. Well, now they're having to come to terms with the loss of a teacher's life.

phillyrovers - the article doesn't say she took her life but has certainly been suggested in this and a national newspaper too.

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sue911 says...
3:18pm Fri 22 Mar 13

doggydog wrote:
Well done to all those that made her life so bad that she had to end it. Narrow minded, selfish are just some of the words i would describe these poor excuses of humanity.Just hope all those that had a go get their come uppences one day and i for 1 will not lose sleep when that day comes. RIP Lucy
well said karma

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sue911 says...
3:22pm Fri 22 Mar 13

well said..............

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sue911 says...
3:23pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Excluded again wrote:
Those people in the community and the parents who hounded Lucy Meadows because they were uncomfortable explaining to their children what she had gone through, now have the task of exaplining to their children her tragic death. I'm not sure that they will find this easier to explain.
well said there are some cruel people out there.

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Carl_J_S says...
4:23pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Did anyone else find it rather callous of the LET to use a photo of Lucy before her gender reassignment?

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pdb951 says...
4:55pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Carl_J_S wrote:
Did anyone else find it rather callous of the LET to use a photo of Lucy before her gender reassignment?
Yes.

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Joseph Yossarian says...
5:06pm Fri 22 Mar 13

pdb951 wrote:
Carl_J_S wrote: Did anyone else find it rather callous of the LET to use a photo of Lucy before her gender reassignment?
Yes.
yes

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JPB says...
5:24pm Fri 22 Mar 13

i questioned the morals behind the decision to change gender and immediatly return as teacher with the same pupils having to deal with that, but now to hear of this i feel one thing, gutted. very sad.

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Ian123xyz says...
6:07pm Fri 22 Mar 13

She was probably a victim of those people who put on a show of false outrage and concern about this sort of situation in order to present themselves as being better than they actually are.

-Oh, look at me, see how normal I am, and how concerned I am about my kids..

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Legal Beagle says...
6:22pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Perhaps the good Mr Cowie might engage what passes for his brain before operating his gob in future - http://www.dailymail
.co.uk/news/article-
2250555/Shock-CofE-s
chool-Mr-Upton-retur
n-Christmas-Miss-Mea
dows.html

Report this post »

VicLou says...
7:20pm Fri 22 Mar 13

So very sad that someone feels so hopeless, desperate and low that they don't see any other solution. RIP. Condolences to her family and friends.

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katypri says...
7:58pm Fri 22 Mar 13

the story a male teacher was found dead at her home, reference to Nathan then Lucy, going through this must have been so hard, no one choses this road as an easy option thats for sure, do believe a fresh start in a new area at a new school may have made the change easier as so hard to explain to young children who aleady knew him as a male teacher to then understand is now female please lets all live and let live R.I.P

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King Fabulous says...
8:05pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Babzkhan wrote:
Very sad to hear mrs meadows u was loved by kidz dey r upset dat ur not in school to teach dem rip u will be miss
Could you repeat this in English please?

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poppypoppy says...
8:48pm Fri 22 Mar 13

I am a parent of 4 children at the school and Miss Meadows taught one of my children. She was a truely amazing teacher and loved by everyone involved with the school. The children at the school did not care whether their teacher was male or female. They loved her for who she was! At Christmas the children at the school dealt with the news of Miss Meadows' change very well and the school handled the situation VERY well. However this latest news has devestated the whole community. What a sad loss.
Miss Meadows you were a truely inspirational lady and we as parents, our children and the other wonderful staff will really miss you. THANK YOU for being in our lives, may you now rest in peace beautiful lady!

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stevieh says...
11:31pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Didn't know this person, but I would like to think as a parent myself that I could accept difference where I find it, respect others decisions to live life in a way that I may not understand, and respect the individual right to privacy and right to exist as they choose. R.I.P.

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Mother of 3 says...
9:09am Sat 23 Mar 13

Wow Firstly Rip Lucy...

Now nowwhere does it state that Lucy took her own life in fact it states there are NO SUSPICIOUS CIRUMSTANCES!!!!!!! I think all you people judging should step back and reflect on wht you are saying and what harm this will cause to the deceased's family and respect thier right to grieve in peace!!!! Also children see such horrbile things in the press and everyday life and it is very difficult to protect them from everthing!!! Lucy must of struggled to make this decision and was trying to live a normal life, parents who subjected her to nasty comments obviously had nothing better to do with their time!!!!

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LancsLass says...
10:17am Sat 23 Mar 13

RIP Miss Meadows such a tragic story.
May u now find peace and I hope your family and friends take comfort from realising how much you were loved by the majority and ignore the minority with no brains who cannot accept todays ways of life x x

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micsha says...
8:46am Sun 24 Mar 13

A tragic Story! So sorry I could not have supported her through her transition, as I have recently transitioned myself.. I can identify the frustrations that us girls go through.. R.I.P Lucy!

My heartfelt sympathies to her family and colleagues at this very sad and devastating time.. Would love to show my support at the funeral..

Sincere Condolences Micshania..

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beagroves says...
1:05pm Sun 24 Mar 13

I am transgendered myself, and a teacher (in further education, not the schools system). It's curious that I was never 'monstered' in this way, even though I'm President of one of the largest membership organisations in the UK. Perhaps because my life is not as 'shock-horror' from a journalists point of view, and can't be used to sell newspapers? The bottom line about all this is not whether the poor woman committed suicide or whether the reporting 'caused' this to happen, but whether it is ever right to sell newspapers on the back of a vulnerable person's trauma. Most trans' people just want to get on with their lives without their issues being plastered all over the press. Life is hard enough, without the pressure of one's personal motivations and history being forced into the public arena. What price press freedom when harm is caused?

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mavrick says...
8:16am Mon 25 Mar 13

This is a cruel way to have treated anybody, It does show how much the narrow minded bigotry and ignorance is still prevalent in the pub talk society. You can see the half witted braindeads mouthing off at school gates and in the press, I am afraid the LET has sunk to the lowest common denominator of patronising the morons. Shame on you. Is it any wonder your hard copy sales are diminishing.

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Blackburn Girl says...
2:44am Sun 31 Mar 13

My thoughts are with her family and those in a similar situation. What a loss and what a tragedy. East lancs needs a mental health overhaul.

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rggraham1947 says...
7:02pm Mon 1 Apr 13

Babzkhan wrote:
Very sad to hear mrs meadows u was loved by kidz dey r upset dat ur not in school to teach dem rip u will be miss
Obviously not an English teacher, then.

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rggraham1947 says...
7:04pm Mon 1 Apr 13

Morag Crump wrote:
jennyspain wrote:
Fingerbang wrote: The LT should be appalled after the sensationalist story they ran originally. Perhaps they should think about what part they played in this tragedy
Isn't it the job of a paper to report stories that maybe shock us?? Such a sad story but blaming the local paper, as much as life can be hard, suicide is a cowards way out, I feel for the family and friends she leaves behind. RIP
'a cowards way out' ? Really ?? Well then you should pray to God that you are never in that situation. What a revolting, thoughtless comment.
No use praying to God; he/she doesn't exist.

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rggraham1947 says...
7:11pm Mon 1 Apr 13

Legal Beagle wrote:
Perhaps the good Mr Cowie might engage what passes for his brain before operating his gob in future - http://www.dailymail .co.uk/news/article- 2250555/Shock-CofE-s chool-Mr-Upton-retur n-Christmas-Miss-Mea dows.html
No matter how trendy and "with-it" some people want to appear, some of us (the majority, I suspect) can't come to terms with modern, dissolute lifestyles.

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