A MAN has unveiled his own tribute to his former ‘mill queen’ wife.

Muriel Ansbro, 78, was Britain’s Prosperity Mill Queen when she unveiled the foundation stone for the Pioneer Mill in Blackburn as a 16-year-old in 1949.

Now her husband Tom, 82, has salvaged the stone from the recently demolished mill in Kelly Street, Mill Hill.

He said that after having the foundation stone repaired and refurbished it has now been put in place in the back garden of their home in Feniscliffe Drive, Blackburn, to celebrate their Diamond Wedding.

He said: “When I told her that I was getting a rock for our wedding anniversary I think she expected a diamond.

“But the foundation stone is a great memory of the prestigious role she carried out.”

In 1949, Mrs Ansbro, who is now a great-grandmother, was crowned Textile Queen of Lancashire and also held the national title after beating 50,000 mill queens from across the country.

She worked at Pioneer Mill and after a year of attending public events across the country in her role as Britain’s Prosperity Mill Queen she returned to the Blackburn mill.

Mrs Ansbro now suffers from ill health after having a number of strokes in recent years. Husband Tom, a retired builder, said: “It was a big surprise for her when I showed her what I had done. I got it ready for her exactly 61 years after the foundation stone was put in place.

“I got the idea when I saw the mill coming down. I had a word with the site foreman and he agreed to keep the foundation stone for me.

“In those days Muriel met all sorts of famous people including the Prime Minister Clement Attlee and trade minister Harold Wilson. She was fantastic at the role and was a wonderful public speaker despite being so young.”