Tributes paid to photographer hailed as the ‘greatest man’

Alan Holden, who lived in the town throughout his life, passed away on Tuesday at his son’s home after being diagnosed two years ago with a rare skin cancer called merkel cell.

The Lightbown Street resident was well-known and cherished throughout the town after he developed and captured thousands of historic pictures of the town’s parks, mills, Jubilee Tower, factories and more.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The images were often displayed in Darwen Library and before his death he donated every single one to the Darwen Days website.

Mr Holden’s son Peter, 53, said he was the ‘greatest man’ he had ever known and was admired by hundreds in the town.

He said: “My dad was such a great supporter of everything that me and my brothers did and he loved Darwen and its history.

“He must’ve taken thousands of pictures and I’ll always remember his displays in Darwen Library.

“I have fond memories of holidays to Newquay in Cornwall in our static caravan and playing in his trailer in the driveway after he came back from work.

“He never wanted to do anything special before he died, just carried on doing what he loved, which was photography.

“He was the greatest man I have ever known and he meant the world to me and my family. We love and miss him dearly.”

The former long-distance lorry driver leaves behind Peter and his two other sons David and Stuart as well as his seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

He began taking pictures more than 30 years ago and also developed original negatives of pictures from the 1800s.

Dave Owen, of Darwen Days, said it was going to take years to organise all the images that Mr Holden donated.

He said: “Alan was such a massive character in Darwen.

“People think that Darwen Days has done a lot for the history of Darwen but Alan is the guy that has done a lot to promote the history.

“I have never thought so highly of anyone, you have no idea what he meant to this town.

“He will be sorely missed.”