LEIGH Local History Society has lost two key members.

Chairman for 21 years Evelyn Finch died on September 10 after a long illness and committee member Stan Smith passed away suddenly at the end of August.

The group has paid tribute to the stalwarts who will be greatly missed.

Liverpool woman Evelyn arrived in Lowton in 1974 when her husband Norman took up a post in the housing department at Leigh Town Hall.

The couple joined the society in 1978 becoming part of the writing and research team and Evelyn co-authored the book "Pubs of Leigh".

She was also chairman of the Leigh and District Family History Society and for a time the Leigh Antiques Society. She was also a past chairman of the Federation of Lancashire History and on the committee of the Liverpool District Family History Federation and the Anglo-Irish Society.

Evelyn, a public speaker, and Norman wrote and published a history of the Finch family. She was also an accomplished artist and seamstress.

Author Stan wrote two of the society's publications "Booth's Hall, Worsley" and "Two Tyldesley Halls" which he did not manage to see in print. The book on Morley's Hall and Cleworth Hall was published only a few days after his death.

Stan was also chairman of the Tyldesley Historical Society and a speaker on local history and railways.

A society spokesman said: "The two will be greatly missed. Our sympathies go out to Norman and his family and Eileen and her family."

Leigh local historian Tony Ashcroft will speak on "Snippets from the past: Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley" at the next meeting on October 29.